The Way of the Dragon
by Ae0lus-920
Summary: The events of Avatar: The Last Airbender from a different perspective, that of a firebender who accompanies Prince Zuko and General Iroh on their initial quest to capture the Avatar. I intend to have the first story align with the events of the first book, and the second with the second book, etc, and a potential LoK sequel. Rated T for violence and mature content.
1. Prologue

**Preface**

So if you have read this far, you have gotten past my horrible naming skills (seriously, if anyone has any better ideas, I would be glad to hear them), potential bad description, and other potentially harmful first impressions. This is the first fan fiction I have ever written, or started writing, and I realize that my wording or writing style may come off as awkward or clunky. Just apologizing in advance.

The goal of this is to help channel my imagination toward something that might help my writing skills, and I will likely write and submit chapter by chapter, except for the prologue and first chapter or so. The basic premise of the story is similar to a self insert, in that I plan on using a main character that is an original character, who interacts with the main characters of the show.

So, please leave a review or some sort of constructive criticism, and enjoy the story!

In a room inside of a large, snow clad building, two figures sat at the table. They were clad in similar attire: warm, thick clothing that was suited to the icy climate in which they were currently conversing, though their apparel did not share the same color. They were also of a similar age, though the young woman sitting on one side of the table in the middle of the room wore a blue, icy color, while the young man sitting opposite wore red and orange. The differences did not end there, for the young woman was wheelchair bound, her dark, braided hair framing the side of a saddened face. The young man sitting opposite her wore his equally dark hair short, and his face was slightly cheerier, though a focused observer could detect and underlying worry beneath his otherwise calm face. He appeared to be unsure of something, as if he did not know if continuing with the current topic was the best idea.

"Are you sure you want me to tell you the story?" He asked. "It may take quite a bit of time to tell, and I am not sure it would be the most interesting thing to spend hours listening to."

"I really don't really have anything else to do," the woman responded gruffly. "And even if I did, it might be interesting to get a perspective on Avatar Aang that wasn't from Katara."

"If you insist." The man shrugged, knowing that his companion would likely find some way to get out of listening to the story if she did not find it interesting. "Well, as you know, my grandfather was born and raised in the Fire Nation, and my great-grandfather was an old friend of the Dragon of the West."

He paused, watching the curling wisps of water vapor emanating from the cup of tea in front of him drift slowly up towards the ceiling as he pondered how to continue the story. He was surprised at how interested the woman across from him was in the story.

"He eventually grew to become friends with the son of Firelord Ozai, Lord Zuko, who was just Prince Zuko at that time, and had a rather uneventful childhood, up until his friend Zuko was exiled," he continued, taking a sip of the rapidly cooling tea before him. "It was then that Iroh asked my great-grandfather if my grandfather Solus would accompany Prince Zuko in his exile, to fill the role of a friend and to practice firebending with the Prince during his search for the Avatar. It was a great honor for the whole family, and the two would go on to become great friends…."


	2. Chapter 1

_**Author's Note:**_ _**I plan on releasing these chapters fairly regularly, preferably one or two days. Most of the time it will be set during the events of **__**Avatar: The Last Airbender**__**, but it will occasionally go back to our two narrators, one of which you likely recognize already. Also, any deviations from canon are likely purposeful, and part of the story. Enjoy the chapter!**_

The Fire Nation ship glided smoothly through the cold water, gently nudging floating blocks of ice out of it's way with the large prow that cut through the water like a sharp, warm, knife through butter. The tall smokestack belched plumes of black smoke, signalling for miles around that the Fire Nation navy was in the region.

On the deck of this ship, there was an older boy of around 16 or 17 years of age sitting at a low table, drinking tea with a bearded old man. Another boy of similar age looked out to the front of the ship, angrily pacing about and gesticulating wildly to the two who sat behind him.

"Do you realize what this means!?" Shouted the gesticulating boy. He was of an average height, with a large burn scar covering the right side of his face, just over his eye. He wore his hair in a style popular with the youth of those days, a sort of ponytail reaching back behind his otherwise bald head, supported by a red tie.

"I won't get to finish my game?" asked the old man, dryly.

"Or I, my tea?" Said the other youth, somewhat bitterly. He was used at this point to his friends angry shouts about the reason they were combing these frozen waters, but they still got on his nerves occasionally. Even more so when there was tea involved.

"It means my search is coming to an end," said the scarred youth, prompting a sigh from the old man and a skeptical look from the tea drinking occupant of the other side of the table. "That light came from an incredibly powerful source! It must be the Avatar!"

"Or its just the celestial lights. We have been down this road before, Prince Zuko." countered the man, whose game had started up again, possibly before it could have a chance to become interrupted again. A look from the boy sitting opposite him and drinking his tea in silence caused him to continue.

"I don't want you to get overly excited if there isn't anything to be excited about." Said the man, rearranging the tiles in front of him as he spoke. "Please, sit with us. Why don't you have a cup of tea? It might calm you."

The other occupant of the table braced himself. He knew what was coming, of his friends recently increased outbursts. Zuko had not been the same since his exile at the hands of his father from the Fire Nation. He realized that his longtime friend had every reason to be mad, but the constant shouting did not sit with him particularly well, and it had a tendency to give him headaches. He would much rather spar in order to let off steam, as the firebending allowed him to channel his emotions into heat and flame.

"I DON'T NEED ANY CALMING TEA!" shouted Zuko. "I need to capture the Avatar, you and Solus can keep your stupid tea!"

Solus decided that he was content with this arrangement, as the tea provided extra warmth in the biting cold of the south pole. He watched as Zuko ordered the helmsman to set a course that would send them towards the bright flash of light that had shot up from the iceberg fields moments before.

As the old man set down the last of his wooden tiles, a sharp breeze issued across the water, blowing the vapor from the tea out over the side of the ship and tousling Solus' close cropped hair. As the ship continued, he noticed that the old man had started to stand up from his seat, and walk towards the Prince.

Watchings him as he went, Solus eventually turned his head back to it's previous orientation, back to the warm cup of jasmine tea sitting in his hands. He was content to listen to the conversation of the two behind him, reasoning that if the great General Iroh had wished him to leave the two in privacy.

"I am heading to sleep now, Prince Zuko. A man needs his rest, and you should get some sleep." yawned the bearded man who had once been famed for his military conquests and firebending prowess. "Your father, grandfather, and great-grandfather all tried and failed to find the Avatar."

"Because their honor did not depend on his capture. Mine does." replied Zuko, staring angrily out over the waves. "This coward's hundred years of hiding are _over._"

At that, Solus stood from his seated position and drained the last of his tea, turning to where his friend stood with General Iroh. Walking slowly to stand on the opposite side of Zuko, teacup still in hand, his eyes thoughtful.

"If you do find him," he began, "don't forget that we are here to help. I would hate to have you encounter the Avatar and do away with him before your uncle and I could get a good look at a bender with mastery over all four elements. Might make for an interesting fight."

Zuko raised a lone eyebrow at him, and Solus responded with an easygoing grin.

"Don't worry too much about it, we may find him yet. Or not. Even if we don't, at least we have this lovely, paid-in-full vacation to the southern water tribe, courtesy of the Fire Nation itself."

Zuko frowned at his friends joking, and continued glaring out into the icy waters, as though they held some secret that only he could see. On his left, Solus began to speak again.

"Well, even if the vacation doesn't do it for you, at least the luxurious quarters might. Speaking of which, I am heading off to sleep. Good-" he paused, glancing at the still present sun, hovering in the antarctic sky. "Er, day. Good day." He bowed to the Prince and the Firelord's brother before retreating belowdecks to his quarters, in the column that towered over the deck of the metal Fire Nation ship.

The next morning, Solus awoke early to the sounds of sparring on the deck. Quickly putting on the warm robes necessary for the southern climate, he paused in front of the mirror, interested to see how his appearance had changed since he had set out with Zuko and Iroh on their quest to find the Avatar.

His hair was black, and cut short due to the fact that Solus had grown tired of having to maintain a ponytail similar to the ones his compatriots wore. His eyes were a vaguely orange color, and his height only barely above the average. His customary firebender robes were comfortable, and the standard among most firebending nobility of his age. His face was cleanshaven, though Solus figured that if he took a break from shaving for a time, he would grow a small beard. He wondered if anyone back home in the Fire Nation would recognize him, as it had been two years since he had last visited his homeland.

Realizing that his thoughts had started wandering, he turned away from the mirror and, taking a quick detour to the mess for breakfast, headed out onto the deck of the ship. There he was greeted by the sight of General Iroh lecturing Zuko on the nature of firebending technique, and the need for patience while practicing his firebending.

Turning towards one of the soldiers he had been sparring with, Zuko let loose a gout of flame, knocking the poor man off his feet and sending causing Solus to duck, almost dropping the remnants of his breakfast.

"You _will_ teach me the advanced set!" Zuko said to his uncle angrily. "If the Avatar is the last airbender, then he will be over a hundred years old, and will have had that much time to master the other elements. I have to know the next sequence of moves if I will have any hope facing him."

"Very well," Iroh responded calmly, "But first, I will finish my meal. Ask Solus if he would like to spar with you, and I will observe."

Dismayed that the attention was now directed at him, Solus gulped down the remnants of his food and walked toward the prow of the ship. Assuming a defensive stance, he prepared for Zuko to make the first move.

His opponent leapt and spun, sending a roaring blast of flame at him. Reaching his hands out, Solus made a smooth, redirecting motion towards the fire, sending it back towards Zuko, followed quickly by two short bursts of flame from each of his fists.

In response, Zuko rolled to the side, away from the fire, and kicked a burst of orange at him, already planning his response to the inevitable counterattack. As Solus hopped lightly over the wave of heat, he sent his own fireball at Zuko, followed up again by two quick punches of flame, in quick succession.

Dodging the last two bursts, Zuko redirected the fireball, and added a swift moving kicked jet of flame alongside it. Though Solus was able to dodge the redirected blast, he only barely managed to deflect the second one, the force of the blast throwing knocking him off his feet and back several meters.

Rolling up and preparing another salvo of bursts, he paused as he noticed the look on Zuko's face. The crown prince was staring at the sky behind Solus, his single eyebrow furrowing. Behind him, he could see Iroh had noticed whatever Zuko had spotted as well, as his nephew dashed for the spyglass that was attached to the side of the ship.

Turning to see what sort of spectacle would draw his friend away from a sparring match like that, Solus caught sight of a bright flare, arching up into the sky. Turning to Zuko, he saw his friend say only one thing, as if surprised that it had come to pass at all.

"I have found the Avatar!"

After note: This chapter was a bit short, almost more of a continuation to the epilogue than a first chapter. With any luck the consecutive ones will be longer, and I will look forward to any reviews that might be submitted!


	3. Chapter 2

_**Authors Note: As of now, the previous two chapters have zero reviews, but a couple of viewers. I have decided to take more time with this chapter in favor of longer chapters and more content. Thanks to everybody who has read this far, I hope you enjoy the chapter!**_

The Fire Navy ship cut through the icy waters like an obsidian blade, bearing down on a small Southern Water Tribe village. As the ship sped towards the small, icy wall at the barrier that surrounded the small settlement, Solus met Zuko and the soldiers at the prow of the ship, his usual robes in place, though they were padded by additional armor.

As the front of the massive warship fell open, he followed Zuko through the gap, watching in mild disinterest as a lone, club wielding warrior did his best to defend his people from the angry, firebending prince. As Zuko paced angrily towards the newly disarmed warrior, Solus realized that the facepaint wearing combatant was younger than _he _was, obviously barely older than 15 years. _The Southern Water Tribe must be more desperate than I thought,_ he concluded, for if the only warrior was a mere boy, there must be quite the deficit of able bodied men in the village.

As he watched his friend angrily advance towards the boy, he was surprised to see a small figure swipe the infuriated firebend off his feet. Solus was surprised to see a small, bald child riding what appeared to be a penguin turn and greet the gathered Water Tribe women and children, appearing to revel in their cheers.

While the other firebenders helped Zuko to his feet, Solus assumed a combat stance and started backing slowly in the direction of the ship. He had a hunch as to who this bald newcomer was, with his airbender tattoos and antiquated clothing. _Looks can be deceiving, and Zuko will likely come to regret his decisions, _he decided.

As the Prince stood and spread his own feet into a combat stance, Solus slowly moved to his side, arms still outstretched and to the ready. The boy, now encircled in a ring of firebenders, grasped his wooden staff tightly. Despite this, he showed no fear, only calm, as a number of soldiers both with traditional weapons and basic firebending skills closed in on him.

With a whirl and a downward cut of his staff, the boy send a burst of air towards the group of soldiers, covering them in snow and causing Zuko to start in surprise. Solus merely looked on, with a small smile caused by his correct hunch.

"Looking for me?" Said the boy, defiantly.

"You're the airbender? You're the Avatar!?" replied Zuko, in a questioning but angered voice. Solus had often wondered before how his friend would react if they ever did find the Avatar, and it seemed that Zuko was exercising far more restraint than he normally would. This latest revelation prompted various displays of surprise, both from the soldiers and the Water Tribe members that had gathered to watch the fight. It seemed that even his hosts did not know the Avatar's true nature.

The two circled each other, Solus moving to flank the bald child, looking to Zuko for instruction. He did have to obey the crown Prince of the Fire Nation, after all. A small shake of Zuko's head stopped Solus in his tracks. It seemed that, despite the Avatar's incredibly powerful potential, he wanted to face his opponent in single combat. Though this worried slightly, Solus figured that Zuko would be able to hold his ground, and this gave him a chance to examine both the Avatar and the Water Tribe villagers more closely.

The Avatar was garbed in the yellows and oranges of the Air Nomads, unsurprisingly, and though Solus had never seen an airbender in person, his tattoos and clothing marked him as an airbending master, at an incredibly young age. He postulated that the Avatar could not be older than 12 or 13 years of age, which is quite young for a master in any style of bending. The staff he carried also shared similarities with those he had read about in a wide variety of texts about the previously thought to be extinct airbenders. Solus realized that the staff likely also doubled as a glider, much like those he had seen at the various air temples he had visited during his search with Zuko.

Turning his attention to the gathered Water Tribe members, he was unsurprised to find only women and children arrayed before him. He had heard reports that many of the Southern Water Tribe men had gone to the Earth Kingdom to fight the Fire Nation, and it seemed that this small settlement was no exception. He saw only the young warrior, crouching warily a short distance away from the buildings, and a girl of similar age to the boy staring angrily at Zuko.

_A relative. Cousin, maybe sister?_ He wondered, and realized that the two were of similar enough appearance to be brother and sister. The brother's facepaint had been partially removed at this point, so he was able to examine the two apparent siblings more closely, or at least, as close as possible from their current distance. The warrior, having noticed his gaze, turned to glare at him defiantly, as though challenging the firebender to a fight. Solus had no desire to fight the non-bender, as he bore no ill will to him. In fact, it was mildly amusing to see Zuko humiliated, as he found that his friend all too often took himself far more seriously than he should.

In fact, he turned to see the two still circling each other, the Prince and the Avatar, the former continuing to speak of his skill, and disappointment that the latter was a mere child as opposed to the powerful bender he was expected to be. A quick, unheard response prompted Zuko to attack, as Solus and the others looked on.

The Avatar appeared to be approaching the fight in a strictly pacifistic manner, using his staff to deflect that fire sent at him. The onslaught of flames continued for a number of minutes, the Avatar's feet dancing to and fro, his staff spinning and the flame dissipating. After Zuko launched a particularly intense burst, startling the Water Tribe behind the airbender and melting the snow at his feet, the spinning of the staff stopped.

Planting his glider firmly into the ground, the Avatar stood before his attempted captor and, realizing the danger his fight was putting his allies in, surrendered to the Prince. As Solus gaped in awe, two of the soldiers grabbed the arms of the young airbender and guided him towards their waiting ship. Reacting in horror, the girl Solus had noticed earlier dashed forward.

"No Aang don't do this!" she shouted, and Solus moved to block her path. As the Avatar attempted to placate his friend while being ushered into the bowels of the towering metal warship, Solus frowned, bowed his head to the crowd before him, and followed his compatriots into their transportation.

Solus found a surprising lack of enthusiasm at the Avatar's capture. He should have been triumphant, congratulating his friend and laughing with his comrades, but instead, the only describable emotion he felt was total apathy. He understood what the Avatar's capture meant for one of his oldest friends, but he realized at this point that he found the Firelord's war and even the capture of the Fire Nation's greatest threat utterly pointless. They had found their quarry, but now what?

Pushing these treacherous thoughts to the back of his mind, Solus nodded and forced a triumphant smile to his face when he saw Zuko walking towards him. Having secured his charge, the Prince continued to act in the utmost of seriousness, and merely nodded to his fellow firebender as he passed by.

Walking slowly up to the mess, he decided to prepare a pot of tea to eat with his lunch, as he had eaten the day before while on the deck of the ship. The mess hall was spartan in appearance, a single cook passing out food to all of the soldiers who had reached the end of their shift. After obtaining a small teapot and a meal of rice and roasted duck meat, he started to walk to his customary meal spot, the deck of the ship.

_Living on the crown Prince's ship has it's advantages._ He thought, biting into his meal as he climbed the stairs. _Namely, the food._

When he reached the deck, he was surprised to see Iroh sitting at the table he was planning to use. Before he could turn away, however, the older man noticed him and gestured to the position on the opposite side at the table.

"Sit, sit," Iroh said warmly. Not wanting to offend one of the most famous generals in the Fire Nation, Solus bowed, and then sat opposite Iroh. Pouring a cup of tea for both him and the General, Solus began to eat his roast duck rather rapidly. He worried that at any moment, his meal would be cut short by Zuko, or some form of emergency.

"So, what do you think of our... guest?" Iroh said, breaking the silence. Solus eyed his eating companion thoughtfully, slowly chewing his meal before responding.

"I do not know what to think. He is likely very powerful," responded Solus, "and I am not sure that we could contain him if he-" Solus was interrupted by a diminutive orange figure jumping out of the stairwell before him and dashing towards the command tower at the rear of the ship.

As he gaped at Iroh, the General gave an amused chuckle.

"I think that whatever you were planning on saying may have been right." The old man said amusedly. "Now, we should probably go to my nephew before he sets the ship on fire."

Solus nodded in agreement, and the two stood up and walked swiftly to the stern of the ship. As they entered the metal spire, Iroh turned to Solus.

"You go up to the bridge and make sure that it is secure, I will go to check on my nephew. Good luck."

Nodding in response, Solus darted up the stairs two at a time to find the bridge on full alert, and the Avatar nowhere in sight. It was then that he heard a shout, a burst of flame illuminated one of the windows below him from the inside.

_Zuko._ He turned and started to walk towards the hatch to the bridge, but was interrupted by the Avatar, dodging past him and jumping off of the bridges iron balcony. Solus turned and punched two short bursts of flame towards the fleeing Avatar, but was bowled over by an enraged, sprinting Zuko, who proceeded to jump after the Avatar and drag him down onto the deck, where they continued their sparring. As a flame blast knocked the small airbender overboard, Solus heard a shout of dismay from behind the ship.

Whirling around, he was amazed to see a massive, flying beast with what appeared to be the two Water Tribe children from earlier, shouting in distress at the Avatar's apparent defeat. As he stared at the massive, lumbering beast that now occupied the airspace just above and to the left of the ship, a roar issued from below.

The source of the roar, a now glowing, waterbending Avatar, knocked him off of his feet and into the side of the bridge. As his vision exploded into stars, muffled sounds of fighting reached him from the deck below. Dazedly, he wondered how Zuko would feel about the Avatar escaping. He also wondered why he had never noticed how colorful bending could be, the water and the flame and the gusty air creating a palette of color that brought a strange amount of happiness to his confused mind. As his mind faded into the welcoming darkness of unconsciousness, he watched ice bury the lower deck.

"And that was the first time my grandfather saw Avatar Aang." Finished the young Fire Nation man. "If you really want me to, I can continue the story in the morning, but for now, we both need our sleep."

The woman sitting across from him and nodded exhaustedly, her head drooping ever so slightly.

"I wouldn't mind hearing the rest of the story. The way you talked about it, I was sure it would be the most boring thing ever, but it seems I have been proven wrong." She said, and then frowned. "It isn't too bad of a way to pass the time, and it is nice to have hear a different side of Aang's story."

"Yes, well, I am glad you like it. I can continue telling it tomorrow, once you have visited Katara." He responded, draining the rest of the tea cup in his hand and picking up the tray upon which both it and the teapot sat. Gently taking the other cup, he stood.

Wheeling his disabled friend out of the doorway, he gave one last look at the room to ensure that he had forgot nothing, and continued out into the hallway. The next day would be no busier than this one, or the one before this one, or the one before that. He sighed, realizing that the boredom would affect his wheelchair bound friend even more, and moved out of the room.

_**After Note: This didn't end up as long as I planned, but that was mostly because I am following along with the show as I write, with only a few changes. It will get more creative in the future though, so do not despair! I will definitely combine a number of episodes, particularly those where Zuko and co. do not factor in very much.**_


	4. Chapter 3

_**Author Note: This chapter will likely be a number of episodes condensed into a (hopefully) longer chapter. I am aiming for five to six pages on this one, a page or two longer than the last chapter I published. Thanks for reading, and please leave a review when you are finished!**_

"So, you are sure you wish for me to continue my grandfather's story?" The firebender asked. They had both finished their daily duties, and were now sitting in the same room as the previous evening, the ever present teapot leaking water vapor from it's curved spout. The room was furnished in a manner traditional to Water Tribe royalty, with varied shades of blue decorating every conceivable object. As the vapor continued to spiral upwards, the blue clad woman responded.

"Of course I want you to continue the story. Despite whatever you may think about your own abilities in terms of telling tales, you manage to make even the most boring of events sound exciting and new." She gave a small smile. She knew her friend only worried about her health, and she appreciated it, but there was such a thing as being _too_ worried about offending or boring someone.

"If you say so," he shrugged amicably. "Well, my grandfather was still recovering from his head injury when their shipped stopped at a Fire Nation port for repairs…"

Solus was sitting propped up in his bunk aboard the Fire Nation warship when they docked for repairs. The Avatar's escape had left Solus with a concussion and the ship encased in layers of ice, a result of Prince Zuko's unrestrained firebending. Solus considered himself lucky, in that he was allowed to bunk in his own room aboard the ship. Instead, he was quartered in one of the extra cabins usually reserved for officers. It seemed that his family's position in the government of the Fire Nation had allowed him to experience more luxuries than would normally be available to him, and for this he was grateful.

The harbor they were currently berthed in was under the command of one Admiral Zhao- a man that Solus himself was unfamiliar with, but had a reputation of being ambitious, to the point of betraying his fellow soldiers in order to further his own position. This sort of ambition was not uncommon in the Fire Nation, but it bothered Solus all the same. He was wondering if this Zhao would be either a help or a hindrance when he heard shouts coming from down the hallway.

Fire Nation soldiers, unfamiliar to him and wielding long spears marched passed his doorway, almost passing him by before they noticed that the room was occupied. As they looked him over, he glanced back at them, unsure of how to react. The taller of the two, an angry looking man with an imposing mustache, marched briskly towards him, weapon at the ready. Solus soon realized that despite their obvious Fire Nation military training, these men were no friends of his.

"You there!" The man shouted. "Who are you, and what are you doing on this ship?"

Solus paused, realizing that the large white bandage covering a large part of his forehead provided a unique method of subterfuge where the men were concerned. Speaking in slurred tones, he responded slowly to the query.

"Who, me? I am nobody, just a casualty of the dangerous southern waters." He gave a lopsided grin at this, gesturing to his bandage for effect. "Slipped on a patch of ice, bashed my head against a bulkhead. Bled like you wouldn't believe."

"Leave this one. He is obviously out of it." The mustachioed man said to his partner. As he watched them leave, Solus slowly and quietly stood up. Following the guards as they left, he was able to discern some of their conversation.

"That was the last of the rooms we were supposed to check," the man with the mustache said. "Admiral Zhao wanted us to find out what actually happened to this ship."

"The Avatar…" His companion said. "We must report to the Admiral."

Frowning slightly, Solus slipped back to his room quietly. Pondering what the best course of action would be, he thought of what an Admiral like Zhao would do next.

_Someone as ambitious as Zhao would likely try to capture the Avatar himself._ He thought. _I should probably prepare the ship for Zuko and Iroh's return_. Standing again, he walked swiftly to the quartermaster.

Checking around corners as he walked for more of Zhao's troops, Solus was lucky enough to avoid any conflict. He realized that, though he was more capable than the Soldiers had thought him to be, he was hardly in peak fighting form. Reaching a stairwell, he paused and listened for any signs of the other members of the crew. Greeted by nothing but silence, he frowned and walked swiftly to the mess hall.

_That is where I will find the others, if I find them at all. Zhao's soldiers would likely keep them in one place, to avoid escapees. I must have been lucky that the two sent to investigate the officer's quarters were so lax._ Rounding a last corner, he was glad to see that, once again, a hunch of his had proved correct. Sitting worriedly at the benches, the rest of the crew were all talking quietly amongst themselves, and only a few noticed his arrival.

Scanning the crowd for the quartermaster, he was pleased to find the man drinking a cup of tea with the ship's captain. Moving swiftly towards the two, Solus waved to get their attention, and quickened his pace.

"Quartermaster, have the dockworkers completed the necessary ship repairs?" He called, eventually reaching the two and coming to a stop.

"Yes, they have finished. Why do you ask?" Responded the quartermaster levelly.

"I would suggest that we prepare the ship to get underway. Knowing the reputation of both Zhao and Zuko, we will likely be resuming our search swiftly. Now that Zhao knows of the Avatar's existence, it would not surprise me if he were to attempt to the capture himself." Solus said rapidly. He was certain that his friend would not be in a generous mood following his meeting with the Admiral, and Solus decided that attempting to facilitate the ship's undocking was the best way to help.

As he heard the first signs of Iroh and Zuko's return to the ship, Solus was already walking back to his quarters. He had made sure that the ship was already ready to leave, and realized that the next best thing he could do was rest, and be ready for any coming conflict.

Days later, the ship was headed for Kyoshi island. Solus figured that it was logical for the Avatar to head to the home of one of his past lives, though he wondered what might be there for the Avatar to find. The Kyoshi warriors were famed for their prowess, and did not take kindly to strangers. Luckily enough for Solus, his head wound had healed and the effects of his concussion were felt less and less each day. If there was going to be a fight, he would be ready for it.

Solus was on the bridge of the ship, watching as the island came into view. There appeared to be multiple natural bays in the area, though one, the largest, was the most obvious choice. He turned to Zuko, unsure as to his part in their visit to the island.

"What do you want me to do, Prince Zuko?" He asked in his most formal tone.

"Stay here and watch the ship." Zuko ordered, and then, noticing the his friend's look of indifference, added "I need someone I can trust to watch the ship, to make sure nobody steals it or tries to take the crew captive."

"Fair enough." Solus shrugged, and walked towards the bridge. He figured that if he was going to stay on the ship, he might as well have a nice view of all the action. As the prow descended and the rhinos disembarked, Solus surveyed the area. One thing he appreciated about the style of the Fire Nation warships was that they were perfectly suited for deploying troops onto land. The tall, curved prow worked as the perfect ramp for moving men onto the beach, and the tall bridge allowed commanders to survey their troops as they moved into battle. The perfect design for a military whose Navy provided the primary source of transportation for invading troops.

He could barely see the village where the Avatar was supposedly hiding, but was still able to watch as the rhino troops moved into the town, spreading out and looking for the diminutive airbender. In the village, fires sprung up, an obvious sign of resistance, and Solus took a moment to reflect on Zuko's extreme tactics.

_For someone who cares so much about his honor, he sure doesn't mind leaving casualties behind in his wake_. Frowning, Solus turned and looked to the rising white shape that flew out over the water, departing the village. _The Avatar's bison. Leaving so soon?_ Surprisingly, it seemed that retreat was not the only strategy on the mind of the two Water Tribe children and the former Air Nomad. As the bison flew over the bay, a massive creature arose from its depths, spraying water over the ship and the guttering village.

Preparing the ship to be underway as soon as Zuko returned, Solus was surprised to see Iroh standing next to him. Bowing respectfully to the older man, Solus continued the preparations for the ship, checking charts and ordering a man to keep an eye on the rapidly retreating bison. Turning to the once-great General, Solus accepted a cup of tea, and the prow of the ship reeled back in. The ship turned to the horizon, and he quietly sipped his tea.

As he scanned the skies, Solus wondered where and when they would next find the Avatar. The bison had headed north, and the closest settlement to that flightpath was an Earth Nation town, built in lands rich with the coal that powered the Fire Nation warships. He had talked to Iroh earlier that day, and the two had decided that it would be their best bet. After all, the Avatar and his friends could only subsist on nature for so long. Eventually, they would need to seek out supplies, and the small village was ideal for such a venture.

A man walking up behind him distracted Solus from his thoughts.

"Sir, we are starting to run low on coal!" The man said urgently. "We need to find a place to resupply soon, or we will be stranded!" Solus frowned. This sort of delay was not helping their search for the Avatar. If they had any hope of finding them, they would need to have abundant amounts of the fuel, and any sort of detours to obtain it would likely set them behind.

"Do we have enough to reach the village that our current course is set to?" He questioned the man, hoping for a yes.

"No, sir, but there is a prison rig that serves as a supply depot for many of our ships operating in the area." The man replied. "It would require a small course correction, but would minimize the detour as much as possible."

"Set a course for the rig, and notify Prince Zuko of our change in plans." Solus commanded. He had found himself being in charge of the ship's operations more and more often, as Zuko placed more and more trust in him. The Prince and his uncle were spending more and more time practicing fire bending, and someone would have to tend to the day to day operations aboard the small, outdated warship.

"Yes, sir. Our estimated time to the rig is two days, sir." The man saluted and then exited the way he had come. Solus found that he disliked the rigid military methods of communication, and that the term "sir" did not suit him as well as the sailors and soldiers aboard the ship thought it did.

He turned from his position towards the front of the bridge, and began walking down towards his quarters. _I should probably get some sleep. Tomorrow we will refuel, and resume the hunt for the Avatar. Maybe this time I will be able to do some actual fighting, instead of staying aboard the ship._

Realizing that this eventuality was an unlikely one, Solus entered his quarters, laid down on the bed, and fell asleep immediately. The next day would later prove to be far more trying than he had expected.

After Note: That was a bit of a doozy to write. I feel like, despite the fact that I tried to make it longer by combining the events of multiple episodes, it ended up longer. Maybe even more disjointed as well. This is likely due in part to the fact that there are not very long parts with Zuko and company during these episodes, on top of Zuko not being the main focal point of the story (early on, at least) results in a lack of content to write alongside. I figure once the first season ends, and Zuko and Iroh become more integral to the story, it will likely get interesting. In the mean time, my chapters will probably stay about this length, and I will skip the more boring bits, likely just having them be part of Solus recalling something or other later. Again, thanks everybody for reading, and I hope that you enjoyed the story so far!


	5. Chapter 4

_** Authors Note: I was going to say something about how I am taking a little while to write this, and an apology if it took too long, but then I realized that this fic has little to no following at all, as there are no follows/reviews. I figure that, while there have been more and more reads every day, if you have read this far, you are likely a first time reader (as of about halfway through this chapter, there is a subscriber! So, thanks). So, thanks for reading this far, and I hope that you leave a review or follow the fic! **_

Solus was having a terrible day. It had started out fairly normal, pursuing a number of sightings of the Avatar in the region, when they stopped to resupply the ship and look into some inland leads on the location of their quarry. He had been overseeing the restocking of the ship's stores while Prince Zuko looked into leads on the Avatar's location. It seemed that Iroh had wandered off somewhere, and though Zuko reassured him that his uncle would be ready to leave within half of an hour, Solus was unconvinced. The elderly man had hardly made any displays of punctuality, and he had not expected Iroh to change anytime soon.

Then, when it was hours later and the famed general had yet to return to the ship, Zuko had gone out searching for his uncle, with Solus and a small group of soldiers accompanying him. The Prince had soon found where he had last seen his uncle, at a small spring in the shadow of the pines. The ground had been cracked, jagged, as though a small earthquake or landslide had strewn rock and earth around the hillside.

_Earthbenders._ Solus had thought, and it seemed that the Prince agreed with him.

"Solus," he had said. "Watch over the ship while I go to find my uncle."

"Not happening, Zuko." Solus said immediately. "You forget that Iroh is my firebending teacher as well as yours. The captain of the ship is an able man, he will be able to handle anything that happens." With that, he turned to one of the men and instructed him to pass on his orders to the captain.

Frowning, but not objecting, Zuko had motioned Solus to follow, and the two had mounted their rhinos and followed the barely noticeable tracks that littered the ground, following a small mountain path. That was where they were now, having followed the tracks. There was little evidence that the men who had captured Iroh even passed this way, other than one of the older man's sandals that they had found. They had camped soon after that, and were now back on the road, the hot, dry sun beating down on them.

Despite his firebending ability, Solus had no love for the heat. He much preferred the colder south, and the fact that there was very little precipitation in the region did not help his love for it, either.

Just then, Zuko spoke, breaking into his thoughts.

"Look!" his friend said, gesturing to a portion of the path scarred and marked with both burns and boulders. "There must have been a fight here."

Moving ahead to investigate more closely, Solus was able to check the scorched stones for heat, to determine their age. "Still warm. This must have been recent. They are close, though I am not sure that your Uncle did not escape."

"There!" Said Zuko, pointing to a small clearing in the nearby forest. "They must have recaptured him!"

Jumping off each of their rhinos, the two firebenders started sprinting down the slope, barely managing to keep from starting a rockslide. As they neared the bottom, Zuko slowed and gestured for Solus to be quiet.

"I will go in first, and break my uncle's chains. You watch my back. There are five of them, but the three of us should be able to take them."

Solus nodded in response, and slowly circled around the small indentation in the ground where the Earth Kingdom soldiers had taken Iroh. It seemed they were planning on crushing the great general's hands, to prevent him from firebending. A strategy that might have worked, if Zuko had not kicked the boulder to the side and broken his uncle's chains.

As the two assumed defensive stances, Solus found he was in the perfect position to flank a number of the earthbenders. Leaning forward and punching two fireballs in quick succession at the two rearmost soldiers, he was pleased to notice that he and Zuko had launched their attacks at the same time, confusing and disorienting the soldiers.

Finally noticing his previously unnoticed assailant, one of the uniformed earthbenders attempted to pull the ground Solus was standing on down, in order to unbalance him. Despite this, he managed to leap down before hand, kicking a large jet of flame towards his opponent as he fell. His blast hit home, and knocked the man back, allowing for a second fireball to be punched at the stumbling soldier's face.

Finding his opponent incapacitated beneath a large rock the man had been trying to earthbend at him, Solus looked up to see the other four benders in similar situations, with Zuko standing at Iroh's side.

Bowing respectfully to the elderly general, Solus followed the two out of the hollow. Reflecting quietly to himself as the firebenders before him conversed in a seemingly happy manner. _It was good to get away from the ship for once. I will have to get out to fight earthbenders more often._

They were back on the Avatar's trail, this time with the large, white, flying, bison in view. Zuko had taken charge of the ship's lone catapult, and they were gaining on their flying target when a row of black warships came into view.

_The Fire Nation blockade._ Solus realized, and it seemed that the Avatar had realized what the ships meant as well. Zuko would be captured if they were caught by the blockade, and it seemed that whoever was in charge of it realized as well. After a brief period of large, flaming boulders flying past them and into the waters around the ship, Solus was surprised to see the blockade let them through. It seemed that, whatever was on Zhao's mind, it did not involve apprehending the Prince.

Solus walked onto the balcony of the bridge just in time to hear Iroh's analysis of why the admiral in charge of the blockade (Zhao, apparently) had let them through. In response, Zuko decided to prepare the small battleship's riverboat and follow the Avatar incognito. As Iroh moved to take control of the ship, Solus followed his lead.

Now they were at the temple that the Avatar had flown to, and Solus had deep misgivings. He had found himself sympathizing with the fire sage who had aided the Avatar. After all, it had been their duty since the very first Avatar to aid him, and it seemed that Zuko had noticed this.

"Go back to the ship, Solus. " Zuko said thoughtfully. "Prepare it for our departure."

He could not disobey orders, though he had no inclination to. Quietly slipping away from the large doorway with the columns and the two tied up Water Tribe children, Solus began his long walk back to the ship, and, when he arrived, was surprised to see three other, larger Fire Navy battleships in the natural harbor made by the crescent shaped island.

_Zhao. _He thought. _It seems Zuko will have a fight on his hands._ With that, there was a massive explosion from the tower, flame blasting out one of the upper walls. Accompanying this explosion, smoke and molten rock belched from the mountain. Frowning, he turned swiftly back to his preparations for the ship. If Zuko came out at all, he doubted at this point that it would be with the Avatar. The ship rumbled to life as he stoked the engines, the black smoke billowing out of the small riverboat's smokestack.

When Zuko finally arrived at the ship, Solus started the engine, and the two were able to resume their pursuit of the fluffy, flying Bison. It was as if they were pursuing a cloud, Solus realized. _Just as difficult to distinguish from the others in the sky._ Yet, this did not seem to deter Zuko, as he put his spyglass to his eye and looked forward and up at the rapidly retreating shape.

The warship had docked at a port, and Solus was not particularly happy about it. The initial diversion had been made without reason, but, as the sparring on the forward deck resumed, Zuko had confirmed his suspicions.

"My uncle has diverted the ship," he said, in a tone that suggested he had not been told of the change beforehand. "We are now on a course for the nearest port. For a Pai Sho piece."

Solus had grimaced, and they had continued their sparring. Now, he was pacing the deck, looking out over the small seaside shantytown they had docked at. Zuko and Iroh were out searching for an illusive Pai Sho piece, among the crowded, brown colored buildings. They were arranged in the rows common to the harbors and port towns of those days, with the shops and warehouses clustered closer to the docks, so as to entice newly paid sailors into spending their wages. Solus raised his eyebrow as he spotted Zuko, his friend moving swiftly through the crowds alongside a tall man with a hat and some sort of bird on his shoulder. General Iroh moved behind the pair, at a slower but more watchful pace.

Zuko shouted up to him. "Prepare the riverboat for launch! We found a lead on the Avatar!"

Solus nodded wordlessly in response, and ran belowdecks, taking the stairs as fast as his feet would allow. He motioned one of the crewmembers to follow him, and together, the two opened the rear bay of the large ship and prepared the small boat for it's upcoming journey. After he had made certain that the ship was fully prepared in every conceivable way, he sat behind the control wheel and waited.

He did not have to wait long. Zuko came rushing the stairs, with the tall man standing next to him, his bird creature accompanying him as the two swiftly boarded. Silently, Solus lowered the boat into the water and started it's engine, pausing only briefly to allow more of the tall man's sailors on board. He was not sure he liked these sailors. They were very informal, and some did not even wear proper clothing. All were non-benders, to his knowledge, and they were very obviously not military. _Mercenaries or pirates,_ Solus decided. Either way, he was far from comfortable allowing them to poke around the ship, for fear that they might make off with whatever valuables were not bolted down.

A few hours later, as the ship moved upriver, Prince Zuko and his tall friend motioned for Solus to land the small, metal craft at a point along the sides of the river. Tall, green pines dotted these waters, and would provide sufficient cover in order for the group to plan and execute their attack.

As soon as the ship beached, all of the pirates were disembarked, with Solus and Zuko following soon after. Creeping silently through the underbrush, Solus was finally able to see what had clued in the two leaders of the expedition on the location of their target. The waterbender girl, from the Southern Water Tribe, appeared to be practicing her bending beside the large, flowing river. As both Zuko and the pirates moved to capture her, Solus was surprised to see General Iroh and a small contingent of Fire Nation soldiers disembarking the ship they had accompanied up the river.

Noticing his look of confusion, Iroh quietly preemptively answered any questions by saying, "We boarded the pirate ship before you launched the riverboat. I was certain you and Prince Zuko could use any additional aid, in case negotiations with our… _guides...,_" the General paused, quietly thinking of how best to word his next sentence. "break down."

Solus nodded, and turned his attention back to the situation at hand. Zuko seemed to be interrogating the Water Tribe girl, though no apparent results were yielded. He frowned as Zuko continued walking around the defiant waterbender, circling like a predatory animal around it's prey. Yet still, she refused to disclose the locations of her allies, and eventually, Zuko gave up. He turned to the pirates that still stood by.

"Enough of this necklace garbage!" said the man in the hat, who had stepped forward angrily. "You promised a scroll!"

The Prince, apparently still at least one step ahead of his former "guides", removed the scroll from his pocket.

"I wonder how much this is worth?" He said, menacingly, igniting a small flame in his hand beneath the item. "A lot, apparently," he grinned, menacingly, in response to the pirates' shocked reactions. "Now you help me find what I want. You'll get this back, and everyone goes home happy. Search the woods for the boy and meet back here."

The pirates grumbled their acknowledgement and headed off into the woods, slowly splitting off into various groups.

"You know they aren't to be trusted, right Zuko?" Solus questioned, hoping that his friend's answer would be one of confirmation.

"Of course I know that." Zuko snapped, and then softened a bit. "They are pirates, after all. I would be a fool to trust them."

Solus nodded his agreement, and found a seat next to Iroh, who was brewing tea.

"Are you going to share any of that?" He said to the old man. He figured that, while they were waiting for the pirates to return, he might as well have a nice hot drink. He had been up all night, after all.

"Of course!" Iroh responded happily. "I never mind sharing tea with my friends. Would you like some, Prince Zuko?"

Solus happily accepted the offered cup, deeply breathing in the fumes that were wafting up off of the hot cup. He had always enjoyed tea, and found that Iroh made the best. This was likely due to the older man's skill in firebending as well as his knowledge of the drink.

When Zuko denied his offer, Iroh turned to the young waterbender, who was still tied to the tree.

"Would you like some tea?"

She only shook her head in response, despairing for the fate of her and her friends. It seemed to Solus that, while she had not given up hope entirely, any that remained was likely forced, in order to defy her captors.

"Oh, well, more for us then!" Solus said cheerily, and he shared a quiet chuckle with Iroh as the two sipped their tea.

When the pirates finally returned, the Avatar and the Water Tribe boy in tow, the girl, still bound to the tree, called out an apology to the Avatar.

"Aang, this is all my fault!" she voiced sorrowfully.

"No Katara, it isn't." responded the Avatar placatingly.

"Yeah, it kind of is." Iroh added evenly.

"She has a point, actually." Solus chimed in, though he was swiftly silenced by a look from Zuko.

"Give me the boy!" Zuko commanded, addressing the pirates arrayed before him in an imperious tone.

"You give us the scroll." the Pirate commander leered.

An argument broke out as the Water Tribe boy mentioned how his friend was the Avatar. Solus could only look on in amused silence, while the arguing quickly devolved into fighting. He assumed his fighting stance, as he engaged with a particularly agile pirate whose twin daggers made for a difficult, but still manageable opponent.

Yet, the fighting still ground to a halt as the pirates realized their ship had been stolen, giving chase with whatever haste they could muster. In his riverboat. Solus could only watch as both their only easy way back down the river, the Avatar, and the pirates escaped in one fell swoop.

Finally reaching the edge of the cliff where they had seen the riverboat go over a waterfall, Solus could only watch as Zuko shouted out, and Iroh smiled, reaching into his sleeves. Solus could only look on in bewilderment as the he pulled out a small, circular tile from his sleeve and grinned. He had had his white lotus tile the whole time.

_**After Note: Whew, this chapter was a doozy. Three episodes in one, over two days. It really didn't help that I got a little carried away with Dota 2 both today and yesterday, cutting into the time I set aside to write. At any rate, I feel pretty good about this one, as I was able to get down some of the dialogue and fight scenes in what I thought to be a relatively okay manner. I also was finally able to write a chapter longer than four and a half pages, so that is pretty great. Thanks for reading, and I hope you follow or leave a review if you liked it!**_


	6. Chapter 5

_** Author's Note: This chapter may have taken a little while longer than usual to arrive. This is because I am having difficulty finding inspiration, motivation, etc. At this point, I think that our main character's story may diverge from Zuko's following the events of the season 1 finale. From then on, it will be a couple of chapters where he is away somewhere else (not telling yet, still just ideas) and their paths will converge again, but this time towards the end of season 3. Again, thanks for reading!**_

Solus was standing on the deck of the Fire Navy warship, watching as the wispy clouds curled over head. He and Prince Zuko had just finished sparring, and now Solus was taking his time to relax, enjoying the calm weather and the cool ocean breeze. He breathed deeply, smelling the salt and hearing the small waves lapping against the sides of the metal boat. He felt oddly at peace, for the first time in what seemed like months. Ever since they had first spotted the Avatar in that tiny Southern Water Tribe village, Zuko had been even more obsessed than usual, relentlessly pursuing what he saw as the only way to regain his honor.

Yet, it seemed to Solus that the methods his friend used to regain his lost honor were far more dishonorable than the thing that had caused him to lose his honor to begin with. While interrupting an official Fire Nation war meeting and refusing to fight an Agni Kai were bad, kidnap, infiltration, _working with pirates_ were things far more dishonorable. None of these methods were even close to being considered honorable, and far from the traditional firebending ways that Zuko had seemed to value so much.

It was then that Solus noticed a commotion that was gathering on deck. It seemed that the Prince and Lieutenant Jee were having some sort of argument. _Always with the arguing_. He thought to himself. _When will it stop?_

He admired Jee, for the man had displayed on numerous occasions that he was capable of getting things done, and who put the lives of those under his command first and foremost. While Solus was not officially part of the Navy, Jee had followed his orders to the letter, though Solus had made sure that they were reasonable beforehand. This argument seemed to have sprung up for those reasons- the Lieutenant felt that Zuko was bringing unnecessary danger to the men by sailing knowingly into the storm that now loomed blackish grey upon the horizon.

The storm itself was massive- covering almost all of the northern sky- and the dark clouds forecasted thunder and rain in the small warship's future. As Iroh moved to break up the seeming fight before it began, Solus headed inside, towards the mess.

_If we are going to have to go through that storm, _he thought, _I would at least like to have a nice cup of tea to calm my stomach beforehand._

Having collected his teapot, leaves, and water from the ship's cook, he smiled to the man and headed to his usual spot during storms. It was in the deep belly of the large ship, the boiler room, and the rest of the sailors on board liked to gather there when weather outside did not permit sitting or standing on the deck. Though Solus rarely participated in the conversations, the men seemed to have accepted him as one of their own instead of an outsider, and for this he was grateful.

He did not have to wait long before more men entered the room, a small group of four or five headed by Lieutenant Jee, who seemed to be in a particularly bad mood following his argument with Zuko. Saying nothing while the men took their seats around the brazier at the center of the room, he merely offered them teacups from the tray he had carried down with him. After all but one of the teacups had been passed out, and all of them filled with the rich, aromatic tea, Solus sunk back into his seat. He did not pay much to their conversations, only raising an eyebrow and looking up when he heard Iroh enter the room.

"Do you really want to know?" asked the aged General, in response to some shouted question by Jee. The men responded in terror, with Iroh only asking, "May I join you?"

As Solus both marveled at the luck that he had brought an extra cup and poured tea into said cup, Iroh descended the stairs to join them around the glowing hot brazier.

Accepting the offered cup of tea, the Dragon of the West sat, and slowly began his long story.

"Try to understand, my nephew is a complicated young man." he began. Solus had heard the story a number of times before, on top of knowing Zuko while the events took place, so he only quietly listened, and stared into the glowing flames of the brazier as Iroh started on the tale of why Zuko felt he needed to capture the Avatar. It was going to be a long, stormy night, and the story would do well to help Lieutenant Jee and his friends understand the Prince.

"I always thought… that Prince Zuko was in a training accident." Jee started, shocked at the conclusion of the story.

"That was no accident," Iroh replied sorrowfully. "After the duel, the Firelord said that by refusing to fight, Zuko had shown shameful weakness. As punishment he was banished, and sent to capture the Avatar. Only then, could he return with his honor."

"So that is why he is so obsessed. Capturing the Avatar is the only chance he has at things returning to normal." Jee said, the sympathy clear in his voice.

"Things will never return to normal," Iroh declared, obviously having reached this conclusion long ago. "But the important thing is, the Avatar gives Zuko hope."

Solus nodded at this, having drained the rest of his tea.

"I am not sure things were ever normal for Zuko." Solus began. "Even as a child, he had far more pressure from his father than he should have had. Pressure to be a great firebender, pressure to be a great leader, pressure to be the perfect son. His mother was one of the few sources of calm in his life, and even she was eventually banished. He never had a chance to be normal."

At his conclusion, there was a massive explosion, and everybody rushed out onto the deck, where they joined Zuko. It seemed that there had been some sort of lightning strike, and the helmsman was in danger of falling to his death.

As the Prince and the Lieutenant scaled the ladders, the ocean pitched and rolled, waves engulfing the deck and rolling over the sides. Turning his attention to the skies as Zuko continued his rescue attempt, Solus was able to spot the Avatar, blasting through the skies and catching the notice of the rest of the crew.

"Let them go. We need to get this ship to safety." Zuko ordered, much to the approval of the entire crew.

When they finally reached the eye, through the tossing waves and the wind, they were finally able to head in to port. Solus turned, sighing, and returned to his cabin. Sleep was important, after all.

A number of days later, Solus was standing on the bridge of the warship watching Lieutenant Jee and Prince Zuko discuss their tracking of the Avatar. The Lieutenant had suggested maintaining their northeastern heading, in an attempt to estimate the next move of their quarry. Behind Solus, General Iroh was enjoying a game of Pai Sho, with two of the other crewmembers. Outside the windows of the bridge, the skies were grey and overcast, though no heavy rains seemed to be coming. The seas surrounding the ship were light, with little wind to disturb them.

A shadow that fell over the deck of the ship caused him to look up. A larger, more modern warship had pulled alongside, and Zuko did not seem happy about it.

"What do they want?" He growled, assuming a stance that declared enough to all watchers that he was not one to be trifled with. The crew already knew this, of course, but any oncoming soldiers would likely be intimidated, at least a little.

"Perhaps a sporting game of Pai Sho!" Iroh said excitedly, seemingly happy to have another opponent in his favorite game.

"Somehow, I doubt it." Solus replied dryly. He had already noticed that the larger vessel was flying the colors of the newly promoted Admiral Zhao, and the man was no friend of Zuko's. _They are probably here for the Avatar._ Solus realized, and then watched as a gangway was lowered down from the other warship. A small group of soldiers walked down it, and then turned and headed towards the bridge. Upon entering, the soldier who stood at the front of the group cleared his throat and removed what appeared to be a wanted notice from his sash.

"The hunt for the Avatar has been given prime importance." the man started, with the clear pomp and attitude of a practiced courier. "All information regarding the Avatar must be reported to Admiral Zhao."

"I've got _nothing_ to report to Zhao." Zuko folded his arms menacingly. "Now get off my ship and let us pass."

"Admiral Zhao is not allowing ships in or out of this area." The courier stated firmly.

"_**Off my ship!**_" Shouted the Prince, gesticulating pointedly for the men to leave. Solemnly, they turned and did as indicated, obviously not meaning to cause the firebender before them any more reasons to harm them.

He heard shouts of both triumph and dismay from behind him, as Iroh finished his Pai Sho game. It seemed that none of the sailors had managed to beat the experienced General, and had lost all of the money they had gambled on the game. Zuko turned and strode purposefully out of the door. Solus frowned, but realized that his friend would need solitude, in order to work out his fury.

After a time, Iroh followed, going to talk to his nephew, who had yet to stop firebending and practicing forms on the main deck. Solus observed the his friend and the bearded General speaking, and then reach some sort of agreement.

When Iroh returned to the bridge, he addressed the helmsman.

"Plot a course to the nearest port. The Prince and I need to attend to a number of things in the city." Solus turned, and started to say something before he was cut off by the great General. "Solus, you may go into the shore leave and purchase anything you think may need. We shall return as soon as possible."

Leaving a surprised Solus and a complacent helmsman in his wake, Iroh turned left the bridge. The helmsman saw his confused look and shrugged, smiling as he turned away.

"The rest of that story you likely know." said the young firebender to his Southern Water Tribe listener. "Zuko dressed up as the blue spirit and went to rescue Aang. My grandfather's brief visit to the port town is…" he paused, then smiled. "A story for another night. Now, I think it is best that we both go to sleep, now that the teapot has emptied and the night is dark."

"I guess so." sighed the woman. "I really did appreciate the story. Wouldn't mind continuing it later."

The Fire Nation man gave a small smile, and stood. "Of course, Korra. But first, sleep." With that he stood and began pushing her wheelchair towards the door, extinguishing the candle as they exited.

_**After Note: A bit of a brief chapter. The next one will likely focus almost entirely on Solus (with a bit in the beginning from the perspective of Korra and our mysterious firebender). Also, surprise! It's the new Avatar! She won't figure to much in this story, more as a way to lead into what I plan on writing next, if you can guess what that is. I have been very lucky to have little homework lately, and so have been able to set aside plenty of time for writing. However, this will likely change in the coming weeks, and chapters will become more irregular. As it is, I am amazed that I have managed to write as often as it is, but it helps to know that people are reading these (about 101, as of typing this). So, thanks to everyone for reading, and I hope you subscribe or leave a review!**_


	7. Chapter 6

_**Author's Note: Apologies in advance if this chapter took a while to be published. I was distracted by a number of other things, namely, socializing. So, now that that short intro is out of the way, hope you like the chapter!**_

It was evening again at the south pole, and the Southern Water Tribe was going about it's business as usual. The room where the firebender usually told his stories to the young Water Tribe woman was unoccupied, for the moment. A bird alighted on the opened window sill. It was a Fire Nation messenger hawk, red feathers and yellow eyes peering around the room. It was a fairly obsolete form of communication, now seen as a mere pet. To the owner of the bird, however, the bird was a useful friend, capable of bringing messages when lines of communication were cut. He could also fetch any inbound letters, and this is what he had done now.

Tied to the eagle's back were a number of letters, all written on the same off-white parchment and wrapped in the same cream envelopes. The bird preened at his feathers, apparently waiting for someone to enter the room and relieve him of his burden.

The bird's head whipped around when he heard a noise echoing down the halls outside of the room. To people entered, the Fire Nation man and the Water Tribe woman talking quietly. She was leaning on him, and using any available objects for support, but she was walking. For the first time in months, the Avatar was no longer confined to the wheelchair that had seemed to her like a mobile prison, keeping her from returning to her old life. Korra's feet took slow, ponderous steps, her pace faltering at every obstacle. She eventually made it to one of the chairs and sat down heavily, having taken one of her longest walks in months.

The hawk responded to the presence of the two delightedly, swooping down to the table where they now sat with an excited screech. The man chuckled, and reached into a pouch at his belt for a piece of dried meat. The bird jumped to his shoulder, allowing the man to untie the letters from his back, and accepted the treat happily.

"Seems we have quite a few letters." the red clad firebender stated. "You of course have the most. I do have a couple though." He handed a large portion of the letters to his companion, and then lit a small fire underneath the teapot in the center of the table. After preparing the tea, he glanced up.

"Do you want to read the letters now, or get back to the story?" He asked. After some thought, a response was given.

"We can read our letters tomorrow. Continue the story now." She settled back into her chair, obviously in a greatly improved mood from previous evenings.

"Right then," he responded, taking a sip of the still hot tea. "Where did I leave off..."

Solus exited the small launch and stepped onto the wooded shore. Zuko and Iroh had already left, leaving him behind to secure their small riverboat and camouflage it in the underbrush. They had taken the small ship under cover of the early morning darkness, slipping past Admiral Zhao's blockade in complete silence, the waves lapping at the metal boat.

The same waves now lapped at the shore beside the forest, sheltered in a small inlet that Solus had been able to spot from a few kilometers away from the coast. He smelled both the salty sea and the dark, rich fragrance of the tall pines, and sighed contentedly. He appreciated being away from the ship, with it's bustling crewmembers, noisy engines, and the constant search for the Avatar.

He suspected that the Avatar was the reason for their sojourn to this inlet. Zhao had a rather large fortress nearby, and the flying bison had been last seen soaring into the nearby mountains, around the time of the storm that had brought such consternation to the members of the ship.

Having finished his duties with the ship, Solus started walking to the nearby town. There was a small track through the woods, riddled with roots and branches, but otherwise unobscured. This track he took, taking his time to observe the flora and fauna of the region. He was glad to see small creatures and birds going about their days in the oblivious manner that most animals seemed to possess. He was jealous of this, of their cluelessness, wishing that he could ignore his duties and problems and live alone, in the woods. _It must be a wonderful thing, _he reflected,_ the ignorance of the creatures. They pay little heed to me, and to the conflicts of the world._

His thoughts turned to the small town he was approaching, prompted by the noise and confusion of said town. He had dressed purposefully in casual clothing, colored a dark reddish brown hue, which could be interpreted as either Earth Kingdom clothing or Fire Nation clothing, which was a useful advantage in an occupied town as this. Solus also wore a sword, slung across his back, to allow his avoidance of firebending in case of a fight. He would only use his bending as a last resort, which would allow him to maintain the local military force's unawareness of his presence.

His sword was a jian, a straight sword that did not stand out too much. He had learned to use it in his younger days, when his father had provided him with lessons given by one of the famed master Piandao's students. The man had been a harsh teacher, but a very good one, passing on both the techniques of his master as well as a fair number of his own. Solus had even been made to forge his own sword, and he had made it his own in every possible way. His family had disapproved of the dangerous practice of smithing weapons, but this had only encouraged him more. They had stopped paying the teacher at that point, but it was too late to stop Solus' training.

His thoughts turned back to the present as he exited the forest path and stepped into the outskirts of the town. It was built in the traditional Earth Kingdom fashion, with organized streets and various districts for living, commerce, and more. Heading to the commerce district, Solus spent his time watching the various passerby on the streets. A tall, bearded man here, who seemed preoccupied with the equally tall woman walking next to him. Various soldiers, who caused him to shy away, avoiding any contact with those who, despite all odds, may identify him.

Reaching his destination, Solus looked around, searching for any sort of shop that may have useful goods. He headed towards a tea shop, that, according to the sign, supplied both fresh tea to drink in the shop and leaves for people to brew their own. Deciding to cut his visit to this shop short, he merely purchased a number of leaves that looked particularly appealing, and was on his way out when Solus saw something odd that caught his attention. An older man who looked suspiciously like Iroh had seemingly disappeared, passing through an opening in the wall that was no longer there. Frowning, Solus assured himself that he must have been imagining things. Hidden doors were possible, but the other patrons would likely have noticed something as well. The man could have been Iroh, but Solus did not think even Iroh would dally to the extent of staying in a tea shop while there was obviously important business to be done.

Exiting the shop, and still pondering what he had seen, Solus crossed the street on his way to the next building that had caught his eye. It was a store that specialized in the sale of birds, both messenger hawks and smaller, pet birds. He had thought about purchasing a messenger hawk for some time, and had decided that now was the perfect time to get one.

After making his purchase and conversing for some time with the clerk at the desk on the intricacies of falconry and the specific ways to train his new companion, Solus was feeling satisfied. The hawk was beautiful, fiery red facial plumage accentuated with darker, more subdued colored on the chest and wings. He had yet to think of a name for the predatory bird, but figured that one would come to him before he reached the ship.

Just as he was saying his goodbyes to the clerk and letting the hawk settle onto his shoulder, two Fire Nation soldiers entered the shop, laughing to each other. The two both wielded long Guan Dao- poles with curved blades at their ends.

_Good._ Thought Solus. _Non-benders. If there is trouble, I will not need firebending to deal with these two._ He moved away from the main counter he had been leaning against during his talk to the clerk, and pretended to examine and exotic lizard-bird while he listened to the two soldiers. They marched slowly up to the clerk, and then leveled their weapons at the poor man.

"The Firelord has upped the tax on shopkeepers," growled the larger of the two men. "Hand it over."

"B-b-but you just collected the tax earlier today!" Stammered the shopkeeper. "I have barely enough to pay rent for the building!"

"Why, that is quite a shame," snarled the man. "I suppose if you don't pay the Firelord's tax, we won't be able to protect you… It would be a shame if anything were to happen to this shop."

Solus' eyebrows rose. The two soldiers were shaking down the poor shopkeeper. He whirled around, hand on his sword, while his hawk swooped to a perch with a greater view of the shop.

"Fire Nation soldiers should be proud and honorable" Solus scowled. "Not extorting large sums of money from poor shopkeepers. You two are a disgrace."

"And who are you, boy?" Replied the second of the two soldiers amusedly. "To go ordering us around, like some sort of officer? And wearing a weapon, too!" He chuckled. "I can arrest you for that. But instead, I think I would just settle for an exorbitant amount of money."

Solus frowned. He had hoped that he could leave the town without incident, and avoid any sort of conflict. It seemed that this was an unrealistic hope, for the two before him acted as though they were daring him to cross blades with them.

"Why don't you try and take it from me?" Solus drew his sword in the blink of an eye, already in the position that would give him the most versatility in a fight.

"I was hoping he would say that." Muttered the first soldier to his comrade, a small grin forming on his face.

With that the two whirled their Guan Dao towards him and started circling, like buzzards circling a dying animal in the desert. They thrusted in unison, the pointed ends of the spear-like weapons whirring in the air.

Solus sidestepped the weapons, and, turning his attention to the second soldier, swiped upwards with his sword. The result of this was the removal of the blade from the end of the Guan Dao, leaving the man with nothing but a long stick with a frayed end where the sharp sword blade had struck it. His expression turned quickly from savage laughter to sharp fear, and Solus quickly stepped towards him. Once the sword struck, and a third of the staff clattered to the floor. The first soldier moved to help his friend, but was unable to provide any aid due to the unwieldiness of his weapon in the enclosed space.

The sword struck again, a blur in the dimly lit store, and the staff was cut in two, and then in two again as the soldier raised it to ward off a blow. Solus stepped once more, found himself inside the man's guard, and slammed the hilt of his sword down onto the frightened man's head, knocking him out cold.

As he watched his companion drop like a stone, the first soldier was frightened by this seemingly young man. He had thought him to be no more than a boy, originally, but this boy was far better at close combat than he. Solus moved swiftly towards his target, but was interrupted when the hawk swooped in from it's perch and clawed at the soldier's eyes, blinding him temporarily. The man shrieked in terror at this new assailant, allowing Solus to move even closer still and again smash his opponent's head with the hardened hilt of his sword.

While the second man collapsed, Solus sheathed his weapon, nodded at the terrified shopkeeper.

"With any luck, they won't bother you again for a while." He stated, and then turned to leave. Whistling for the hawk to move to his shoulder, Solus slowly exited the store and turned down the street back the way he had come.

Walking towards the outskirts of town, Solus was troubled. He had never thought the Fire Nation to hire perfect soldiers, but he had hardly expected such corruption. The men he had encountered were scum, no doubt, but he realized now that earlier examples of corruption were now revealed to not be isolated events. The Firelord's tactics and policies as a whole now seemed to him to be rather extreme, and quite counterproductive if any sort of peace was ever to be made.

He finally exited the city and was back on the forested path, winding through the greenery and underbrush. He remembered the hawk flying overhead and the tea in his pocket and he smiled. The day was not entirely a waste, after all. He now had a new companion, and some nice tea to boot. He just hoped that his new doubts about the Fire Nation would not be overly obvious to the heir to it's throne and the brother of it's leader.

He watched as the hawk swooped down, plucking some hapless rodent from the ground, and swooping up to a branch overlooking the inlet to eat.

_Kuzon_. He thought. _That is what I shall name him. It is an old name, a traditional name. The name of my great grandfather._

_**After Note: That took even longer than I expected, for which I apologize. I was met with a number of unexpected delays, mostly related to family and friends (although during this last page or so I have had an awful headache, delaying me further). I realize that this may well be one of my worst chapters so far, due to the writing being more spread out and less scripted than usual, scripted meaning that I did not really take anything from the show. The biggest problem is probably the very very long "present day" intro thing, which dragged on much more than I meant to. I will avoid doing any of that stuff for a few chapters at least, and make the other intros shorter, otherwise I may have to list this as an ATLA/LOK crossover, which I am trying to avoid. Anyway, thank you for reading this far and I hope you subscribe, favorite, or leave a review!**_


	8. Chapter 7

_**Author's Note: Any sort of delay on the release of this chapter can be attributed to the fact that I now have someone reading through what I write! So, many thanks to CEObrainz, for liking this enough to edit it! I also apologize again for how long the last chapter took to write, it wasn't purposeful but I had a number of other things preventing me from publishing it in a reasonable amount of time. So, on to the story!**_

The day was calm and chilly as Solus sat with General Iroh and Prince Zuko in one of the chambers of the ship's bridge. Kuzon had assumed his usual perch on Solus' shoulder and the three firebenders were enjoying a calming cup of tea and talking quietly.

When Iroh had returned to the small riverboat a number of days before and found his nephew's friend with a messenger hawk sitting near the wheel of the ship, he had smiled and told the young man everything he knew about falconry. The two had talked for hours, waiting for Zuko's return and when the night came, they had camped out on the shore of the tiny inlet, next to their boat. not long after dawn came Zuko arrived in a sour mood, caused by something he refused to talk about, even to his uncle. After returning to their warship, Solus' friend had stalked off to his cabin, and spent the majority of his day there. He assumed that the Prince was meditating, though he could not tell for sure. When the next day came about, business was back to usual, with Zuko giving orders and Solus ensuring that they were carried out in the swiftest and most efficient manner.

As things settled down, the two sat comfortably, drinking tea with Zuko's uncle. They used some of the tea leaves that Solus had bought in the small Earth Kingdom town. His encounter there with the two soldiers was still fresh in his mind, but he was forced to avoid thinking about it in order to not appear disloyal to the Fire Lord while on the ship.

"Ah," sighed Iroh. "See Prince Zuko? A moment of quiet is good for your mental well being." He poured more tea for the two sitting with him, and Solus bowed appreciatively. He was still allowing it to cool when a large noise from out on the deck of the ship rocked the entirety of the vessel, causing hot tea to spill onto Zuko and end the moment of calm.

As his friend stormed out onto the deck, Solus and General Iroh followed, the former's hands already in a defensive position. On the deck, a woman clad in black rode a large, brown creature with a curiously shaped nose.

"Get back!" She shouted, hands clutching tightly to the reigns. "We're after a stowaway!"

"There are no stowaways on my ship." responded Zuko calmly, in a manner that surprised Solus after the Prince's apparent rage at being interrupted in the middle of his tea.

The large creature responded to this by tearing up a large section of the metal plated deck and hurling in over their heads. Solus sighed, making a mental note to oversee the repairs of the now gaping hole in the ship. The large creature rooted around inside of the hold, looking for the supposed stowaway.

When the hapless man scrambled away from his hiding place, the creature gave chase, it's bulky brown form moving at a surprisingly rapid pace despite it's size. Flicking a barbed tongue from beneath it's strange nose, the creature caused the man to stumble and fall, unmoving.

"He's paralyzed!" Gasped Zuko in surprise.

"That is a useful ability…" mused Solus quietly, already wondering if whatever it was on the beast's tongue that caused the man to be immediately paralyzed could be distilled and used.

"Only temporarily." Responded the black clad woman, as she lifted the terrified man from the ground. "The toxins will wear off in about an hour. But by then he'll be in jail and I'll have my money"

_Now _that_ is impressive._ Thought Solus. _Definitely could be useful in tracking down the Avatar-_

"But how did you find him on my ship?" Zuko's voice cut into his thoughts, though they posed the exact question he was about to ask.

"My shirshu can smell a rat a continent away." The woman replied as she mounted the creature. Solus said nothing at this, only turning to Iroh and raising an eyebrow.

"Well, I'm impressed." Said Iroh, watching as the woman raised a riding whip and signalled for her shirshu to leave the ship. As it galloped off, Solus turned to the General.

"Pretty and dangerous? I wonder if she is single." He joked, prompting quiet chuckles from the man.

"Pretty dangerous would be more accurate." Zuko said, frowning. "We should secure her services. Could be useful to have a giant animal with a great sense of smell and a paralyzing tongue."

"Already on it." Solus whistled, prompting Kuzon to swoop down from his roost near the top of the ship's bridge. "Follow that shirshu. Come back and find us when you have found their destination." The hawk screeched, and then flew silently out over the water as Zuko, Iroh, and Solus began preparing to go to hire the woman.

It was night time when they finally found a building with the shirshu sitting outside. Kuzon had flown back to Solus not long after departing, and after giving the hawk a piece of dried meat, the three had set out on the backs of their rhinoceri. The building seemed full, they could hear cheers and loud noises coming from the inside. _It must be some sort of bar_. Solus decided. _I should probably be on my guard._

They entered with Zuko in the lead, and Solus at the back. While the Prince angrily shoved patrons aside and Iroh attempted to calm them in his wake, Solus merely moved silently behind the two. Arriving at the table in the center of the room, the trio could see the black-clad woman engaged in an arm wrestling competition with a very muscular looking man.

"I need to talk to you!" Zuko shouted over the din made by the dozens of patrons crowded around the single table.

"Well, if it isn't my new friends, Angry Boy, Uncle Lazy, and Mr. Quiet." she responded, increasing the pressure on her opponents arm

"I didn't realize I said little enough to warrant the name Mr. Quiet." Solus said in a jokingly peevish manner to Iroh, who chuckled in his usual amused manner.

"Your beast trashed my ship. You have to pay me back," Zuko said in an accusatory tone as the woman slammed the man's arm into the table. This caused a number of coins to rain down on the table, and for many patrons to cheer as they won their bets.

"Well I'd love to help you out, but I am a little short on money." The woman grinned, and then shouted to the delighted patrons, "Drinks on me!" prompting another round of cheers.

"Money isn't what I had in mind." The Prince snarled, grabbing the woman by the wrist and pulling her towards the exit. As they neared the door, Solus spoke.

"You know Zuko, we may try at one point not using intimidation tactics on everyone we meet. May yield better results." His friend glared at him angrily, but released the woman's arm. She gave Solus a grateful look, and the four soon found themselves standing outside near the sleeping shirshu. As the woman walked over to her creature, Zuko reached into his pocket and procured the necklace of the Water Tribe girl they had captured and lost earlier. _Katara, I believe her name was._ Solus thought to himself. _I think I can see where this is going._

"I need you to find someone." The firebending royal said, waving the blue trinket at the woman.

"What happened, your girlfriend run off on you?" She smiled, eliciting a quiet chuckle from Solus which caused Zuko to glare at him angrily. Raising his hands in a gesture of peace, he watched as his friend continued.

"It's not the girl I am after, it's the bald monk she's traveling with." Zuko claimed, causing the woman to make a small, doubtful noise. "If you find them, I will consider the damage to my ship paid for."

"Forget it," the woman climbed onto the slumbering creature.

"Plus we'll pay your weight in gold!" Iroh called after her, in order to secure the bounty hunter's allegiance once and for all. Turning, she walked up to the old man.

"Make it your weight, and we've got a deal." The general laughed heartily, and she snatched the small blue necklace and made her way to the front of the shirshu.

"Get on!" Their new guide ordered, and the three complied. It was a tad crowded in the back, but all three managed to fit on the back of the creature as it galloped off into the night.

The four people and the shirshu bounded out of the forest and onto the sheltered track directly into the path of the two Water Tribe travelers. The Avatar was nowhere to be seen. The shirshu backed them into a corner, as Zuko dismounted, with the woman and the remaining two firebenders staying on top of the brown creature.

"So this is your girlfriend." The woman called to Zuko, disdainfully. "No wonder she left. She's way too pretty for you."

"Where is he!?" Zuko bellowed at the two cornered Water Tribe children. "Where is the Avatar!?"

"We split up." The older of the two, the boy, began. "He's long gone."

"How stupid do you think I am?" growled the Prince, advancing towards them.

"Pretty stupid." The boy replied daringly, before grabbing his sister by the arm and shouting "RUN!"

Their flight was cut short by a quick lash of the shirshu's long tongue. They tumbled to the floor, the large creature advanced slowly as a long rope of drool lowering from it's snarling mouth.

"What are we supposed to do now?" Pondered Zuko, walking back towards the massive creature.

"It's seeking a different scent. Perhaps something that the Avatar held." The bounty hunter said evenly. Solus reminded himself to ask her for her name later on, and to look into finding a different, perhaps less expensive, shirshu rider for their search for the small bald monk. The large creature was now sniffing at a scroll that had fallen off of the male Water Tribe warrior, and then whipping it's head in a very specific direction that indicated the abbey they had just passed through.

Sliding out the saddle to aid Zuko in loading the two Water Tribe travelers onto the back of the blind animal, Solus noticed the scroll that had caught the attention of the creature. Noticing what looked like a map, he grabbed it and stuffed it into a pocket to review later. _Could have useful information, _Solus thought to himself._ Going to have to take a look at that later on._

As he tossed the distressed warrior next to his sister on the back of their transportation, Solus swung himself back behind the two, keeping a watchful eye out for potential escapees. As the massive shirshu bounded off towards the abbey, he was forced to keep a tight hold on the saddle, the two before him jostling and bouncing as it ran. He felt a startling amount of sympathy for them, understanding the predicament and again cursing the Prince's unhealthy obsession with finding the Avatar. _Another traitorous thought to push to the back of my head._ He sighed, adjusting the bounds that kept the captives in order to make them more comfortable and provide a brief respite from his own nagging conscience.

When they started to near the walled compound, Solus braced himself, preparing for the point when they would burst through the wooden doors. The moment suddenly upon him, Solus watched as the wood splintered before them and the massive creature sprang out into the courtyard of the perfume-producing place. Obviously confused, the shirshu merely circled in the center of the group of buildings, prompting a shout from Zuko.

"What's it doing!?" He wondered, noticing too late as the glider-wielding Avatar who dived into their midst, startled the poor, confused animal and caused it to rear on it's hind legs. This in turn caused all six occupants of it's saddle to tumble off backwards and land in a heap. Solus bashed his head on a cobblestone, and found himself dazed as the rest of the party (the younger boy and girl excluded, of course) struggled to find their feet as he lay in a heap.

"Aang!" A voice from his left side shouted, further exacerbating his now debilitating headache.

"Up!" Shouted another voice, which he could only assume was their bounty-hunting traveling companion as the noise accompanied the loud crack of a whip. The now-enraged shirshu bellowed, and charged after the small, orange-clad airbender, only to be intercepted in mid air by a massive white shape.

_The flying bison, _Solus decided. _It seems they never go far without it._ A loud crash came soon after, and then sounds of fighting from the center of the plaza. It seemed that Zuko had found his bearings rather rapidly, and was now dueling the Avatar in a rather aggressive manner, as was his norm.

Solus found himself being dragged away by a pair of strong hands, who proceeded to prop him up against a wall and bind his hands together near the two still paralyzed ex-prisoners. _I suppose I already know who _these_ nuns are rooting for,_ Solus thought. _I probably deserve this, though._

The duel continued to rage a few dozen meters away, loud explosions echoing through the forested valley in which the abbey was situated. Further commotion could be heard when the large shirshu returned to the fight, and engaged the massive flying bison that seemed to welcome the challenge.

Slowly regaining full use of his senses, Solus turned his head and looked at the two blue-clad people sharing the wall he was propped up against.

"So, you guys come here often?" He giggled, the blow to the head obviously affecting his temperament. "Look at Zuko! He always looks very funny when he bends." Solus continued chuckling, much to the obvious bemusement of his newfound "friends".

"I'm… starting to get some feeling back!" the boy to his left said excitedly, grinning just as rubble rained from the sky onto their heads. "Ow." With all of the innocence his dazed self could muster, the bound firebender turned to one of the nuns standing near by.

"I heard you ladies make perfume here. Is there any chance I could get a bottle to go?" Solus broke into another fit of laughter, while the woman glared sternly down at him disapprovingly. Finding this reception to be a bit more stony than he anticipated, he turned to the two semi-paralyzed people next to him.

"If looks could kill, am I right?" He chuckled again, and causing yet another angry look from the nuns nearby, while the audience to this new joke each ignored him, their gazes all on the battle unfurling before them. Shrugging, Solus realized that this fight must be incredibly interesting to hold a large group of individuals' attention so well, so he decided to return his eyes to it.

Zuko and the Avatar were dancing around the well in the center of the courtyard, fighting as though they were dancers in some sort of intricate performance. The firebender continued blasting fire at his opponent, while the primarily airbending Avatar danced around the blows, only attacking sparingly. The two broke off their dance to rush around the perimeter of the buildings, their elemental attacks knocking loose a large amount of rubble. Solus looked up just in time to see a particularly large piece of said rubble, what appeared to be a brick, enter his field of view and knock him unconscious.

Solus woke seemingly minutes later, the intense scent of perfume invading his nostrils. He could see the shirshu crashed into a wall on the other side of the abbey, presumably confused by the same smell that now assaulted his senses. In the center of the plaza, he could see the massive white bison leaping off into the air, while he lay on the floor. It seemed that someone had untied him while he was unconscious, but he had no idea who it could be. The nuns obviously had no idea that he was free, and the other two firebenders were lying on their own with the black-clad woman off near the poor shirshu.

Stumbling to his feet, he felt a large knot swelling on his head where the brick had struck him. It would likely remain swollen for some time, and Solus took care to avoid the nuns as he snuck towards his friends. He wondered again who must have cut whatever the nuns had tied him up with, and decided that the cord must have been sliced on one of the sharper pieces of rubble.

_**After Note: This is probably one of my longest chapters yet, which is good because I won't be able to publish any this Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday (I likely won't publish anything on Saturday either, unless if I miraculously find the time). I would also suggest remembering the bit about the cord tying up Solus being cut when he wakes up, it may be important later! So, thank you for reading this far, and I hoped you liked the chapter! Leave a review, or subscribe for more chapters!**_


	9. Chapter 8

_** So, it has been a few days since I have published anything. I haven't been around a computer for a while, and only now found time to write. It seems that, due to my new beta reader CEObrainz, any new chapters should be more polished and refined than before. I would like to thank both him, for editing, and any readers (new and old) for reading this far. I hope you all enjoy the chapter!**_

* * *

It was music night, and the warship was berthed in one of the many Fire Nation harbors dotting the coast of the Earth Kingdom. Solus sat quietly, not skilled in any particular instrument and content to watch Lieutenant Jee strum his pipa while the other four accompanied with percussion and song. The sky was its usual dark blue, with clouds streaking the night and stars adding to the illumination provided by the fire they sat around. Solus drank his ever-present tea, noticing that Iroh had forsaken his usual tsungi horn in favor of singing along to the melody.

Kuzon had long since returned to his usual perch inside the room that he shared with Solus, as the Prince had just recently retired to his own room. Two of the crew members danced across the deck, and Solus breathed deeply, watching as the surface of his tea cup rippled gently. _I will have to purchase more tea leaves soon. _He thought to himself. _I am almost out._

A sharp twanging noise caused him to look up sharply. It seemed that, whilst he had been thinking to himself and the others were singing and dancing, Commander Zhao and a small company of soldiers had walked onto the deck of the small ship, as the Commander grinned menacingly.

"Ah, General Iroh." He began, walking slowly toward the grey-haired man. "I hope I am not… interrupting anything." Solus frowned, and drank the rest of the tea in his cup. He was unsure as to the true purpose of the Commander's unscheduled visit to their ship, but he doubted it was to exchange gifts and take up the place of the missing tsungi horn player.

"I am looking for soldiers to take part in a… journey, to the North Pole." Zhao paced

before them, his hands clasped tightly behind his back. "I expect that you will all be prepared to make the journey with me." His eyes wandered across the deck, examining those arrayed before him and stopping when they came to Solus, singling him out due to his attire. _Light armor is hardly traditional_ _wear for a sailor._ Solus reflected, as the man seemed to size him up.

"And who might you be?" Zhao asked, glaring down at the young man. His fists clenched, and he prepared to respond, when General Iroh interrupted.

"He is a retainer of mine. Helps to cook the tea, and spars with my nephew when it is asked of him. Nothing more, Commander Zhao" The old man spoke softly, and Solus was infinitely grateful. He appreciated his position on the Fire Nation ship, and the Commander infuriated him. The man had waltzed onto their ship with such arrogance, demanding the crew to abandon their posts, all done with the same cocky smile on his sideburned face.

"I see." Zhao frowned, looking down at Solus menacingly. "See that he knows to respect his betters. An _Admiral_ deserves more than he has shown." It took all of the willpower that Solus possessed to not stand up and accost the man, and he only barely noticed the word upon which particular emphasis was placed. He saw Iroh looking at him, the General shaking his head very slightly. The young firebender usually prided himself on his calm and quiet temperament, seeing it as quite the advantage in most situations, but found that there was something inexplicable about this tall, arrogant man that infuriated him to no end.

Seeing that the target of his questions was not rising to the bait, Zhao merely turned and walked towards the bridge of the ship.

"I would like to speak with your nephew, General Iroh." He said, his voice laden with false respect. "If you would be so kind as to show me the way." At this, the General hurriedly stood and led the man towards Zuko's chambers. As Solus stood to follow him, he nodded solemnly at Jee, wondering if he would ever see the man again, and bowed lightly. After the Lieutenant bowed in return, Iroh's supposed retainer followed the two towards the ship. He moved quietly through the hallways, hearing the murmurs of conversation from inside, and stopping outside of the Prince's door in time to hear Zhao speak.

"I didn't know you were skilled with broadswords Prince Zuko." The man's voice was clear and even, and the reply equally even.

"I'm not." Zuko spoke, and Solus could practically hear his fists clenching on the other side of the metal bulkhead. "They're antiques; just decorative." He wondered at the significance of the swords. They were obviously important, and it seemed as though there was something left unsaid between the two men.

"Have you heard of the blue spirit, General Iroh?" the Admiral continued. Solus now knew what the true subject of the conversation was. The blue spirit was a broadsword wielding assailant who had snatched the Avatar from Zhao's fortress a number of weeks ago. _That was the day I had taken Zuko ashore in the riverboat…_ His eyes widened, and he fully understood the implications of the conversation he was hearing. _It must have been Zuko. Zhao knows._ Against his better judgement, Solus stayed to hear what was said next.

"Just rumors." Iroh replied seriously. "I don't think that he is real."

"He's real alright." Zhao had all but confirmed the suspicions of the one listening to the exchange. "He's a criminal, and an enemy of the Fire Nation. But I have a feeling that justice will catch up with him soon. General Iroh, the offer to join my mission still stands, if you change your mind." With that he closed the door to the chamber, almost noticing the alcove in which Solus was concealed.

Exiting his hiding place, Solus immediately slipped towards his own quarters, pondering what he had heard. _Zhao knows something, that is for sure. _He thought to himself. _I do not doubt that he means to act accordingly._ Reaching his cabin, Solus was suddenly glad that he had few possessions. Wrapping garments and his sword together into a single bundle, he whistled for Kuzon to awaken. The hawk raised a yellow, beady eye, gazing at him as if angry that he had disturbed the raptor's sleep. Swooping to the firebender's shoulder, Kuzon accepted the offered piece of dried meat with a ruffle of his feathers and a small screech. When he finished packing all of his items and securing them on his back, Solus exited the room and began walking back down the hall, hearing Iroh talk to Zuko from a distance.

"It's a lovely night for a walk. Why don't you join me? It would clear your head?" The Dragon of the West asked his young nephew. Receiving no response but the silence that already permeated the room, he sighed and turned, finding Solus already walking next to him. Accepting his walking companion with a nod, the General and his supposed retainer exited the warship.

The night was moonlit, and the air clean and pure. Solus found that this far North there was little in the air to trouble his lungs or to give him reason to sneeze, so he breathed deeply and exhaled. He had always found more comfort in the cold that in warmer climates, and this night was no exception.

They had not walked far when an explosion ripped through the peaceful night, shattering windows and causing Solus to stumble.

"Zuko!" Iroh shouted, but Solus had already begun sprinting down the rocky dirt path, with Kuzon flying at his side, roused from a brief nap by the loud explosion. Dropping his bundle by the side of the pier, Solus jumped into the icy water and swam down, searching for his friend in the metal-strewn water.

* * *

A day later, Solus stood with Iroh and Zhao on the bridge of the newly promoted Admiral's flagship. The tall man stood proudly, his hands clasped behind his back, gazing out over the assembled fleet. Solus still hated Zhao, but had agreed to go along with the plan that Zuko had thought of, even if it meant that he would be forced to serve tea to his least favorite person in the Fire Nation Navy.

Following the assassination attempt, Solus had pulled his friend out of the cold water and the three had begun plotting their next move.

"Zhao is an Admiral now, and it seems he would like my assistance with the invasion." Iroh had declared.

"That is our way north, then." Solus had said, looking towards Zuko. "How do you plan on accompanying us?"

"You two should accompany Zhao as usual. I will disguise myself as a soldier and sneak on board his ship."

They had nodded in agreement, and the plan had been put into motion. Now Solus was standing on the towering ship that belonged to a man hell-bent on capturing the Avatar and destroying the Northern Water Tribe.

"My fleet is ready." Zhao dictated to the helmsman, causing Solus to glance sharply down. "Set a course for the Northern Water Tribe." The collective smoke stacks of hundreds of steel warships belched to life, sending columns of black soot skyward as they slowly began moving forward. For better or for worse, Solus, Iroh, and the disguised Prince Zuko were now moving with one of the largest fleets assembled in the 100 years since Sozin's comet, and it seemed that no fighting force in the world could stop it.

* * *

_** After Note: This chapter was quite short, but this is likely a result of me not entirely being back to normal, having deviated a fair amount from my normal schedule. This is further exacerbated by a fair amount of sleep deprivation, but I do hope to get back to publishing fairly regularly chapters that are longer than this one. The next one will be longer for sure, and part of the season finale. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and any follows, favorites, or reviews left will be very welcome!**_


	10. Chapter 9

_**Author's Note: The last chapter was rather unsatisfactory in length. With any luck, this one will make up for it, as I plan on taking my time. So, now we get to the season finale of book one, and the siege of the Northern Water Tribe. Hope you like the chapter!**_

* * *

"This will truly be one for the history books, General Iroh." Zhao spoke to Iroh proudly, his red cape flowing behind him in the salty sea breeze. Solus was standing at his customary position behind the older of the two men, ready to carry out any orders or send a message if the need arose. Kuzon circled around the bridge, looping lazily around the towering black smoke column that followed the massive warship wherever it went.

"Just think." The egotistical Admiral continued. "Centuries from now, people with study the great Admiral Zhao, who destroyed the last of the Water Tribe civilization. You're lucky to be here to see it." The man gazed out over the cold blue waters of the Northern Ocean, sure of a coming victory.

"Be careful what you wish for, Admiral." Iroh said calmly, the light wind ruffling his hair and causing his orange robes to flutter like a giant butterfly. "History is not always kind to its subjects." Solus looked on in silence, not trusting himself to hold his tongue should he begin speaking.

"I suppose you speak from experience." Zhao casually responded, slowly strolling to the railing that stood before him. "But rest assured. This will be nothing like your legendary failure at Ba Sing Se." The Admiral's insolence astounded Solus. This man was convinced that nothing could stop him, and his words reflected it.

"I hope not, for your sake." The older General replied gloomily. Solus had heard the story of the legendary Dragon of the West's defeat at the Earth Kingdom capital city. The siege of that city's fabled walls had lasted 600 days, only ending upon the death of thousands of troops, Iroh's son included. The General's fall from grace in the eyes of the people had come not long after, and had been accompanied by devastating grief.

"Tell the captains to prepare for first strike." Zhao's commanded caused Solus to jump slightly, and he turned to accompany Iroh off of the massive ship's bridge. They walked in silence, moving towards the warship's communications room, pausing only briefly in order to allow Kuzon to perch on Solus' shoulder, as was his custom. When they reached their destination, Iroh spoke only briefly with the man in charge of the ship's resident birds, before he moved on, heading towards the lower boiler room. Stopping before a soldier that Solus recognized as a disguised Zuko, the General spoke quietly.

"We're landing soon. Do you have a plan?"

"I'm working on it Uncle." Came the hurried reply, the Prince stopping only briefly before replacing his face mask and moving on to the next point on his patrol route.

* * *

Solus stood, again in his customary position, behind Zhao and Iroh. The two military leaders were surveying the bombardment of the Northern Water Tribe city, which took the form of cluster of buildings nestled behind a tall wall of ice. The fleet had just passed the remains of the single-ship vanguard, which was now thrust into the air as it had been impaled upon ice created by the waterbenders of the city. The repeated thrum of the swinging trebuchets, on board the deck of the Admiral's flagship, was accompanied by the _whooshing_ noises that the flaming projectiles made as they soared towards their targets.

The setting sun streamed through the red tinted windows of the bridge, coloring every surface of the room in an angry red light. As the shadows moved across the floor, Iroh finally broke the silence that had grown in the ship's command center.

"It's almost twilight, Admiral. As your military consultant, I must advise you to halt your attack." The General spoke carefully and calmly, his arms crossed before him. "The waterbenders draw their power from the moon, and it is nearly full tonight. You should wait and resume the attack at daybreak."

"I am well aware of the moon problem, and I am working on a solution." Zhao growled in his usual low voice, gazing sternly over the ocean at the shimmering city as though it had made a personal offence. "But for now, daybreak it is." Turning, the Admiral nodded to one of the soldiers, who bowed and left the room. The clanging sound of anchors could soon be heard, and Solus followed Iroh out of the room. The pair made their way down to one of the small rooms on the side of the ship where smaller boats could be launched. Zuko was waiting there, quietly preparing a small canoe, and Solus shut the door behind him.

"If you're fishing for an octopus, my nephew, you need a tightly woven net, or he'll squeeze through the tiniest hole and escape." Iroh cautioned, his usual metaphorical advice causing Zuko to turn slightly in reply.

"I don't need your wisdom right now, Uncle." The Prince gazed out across the ocean, his tone solemn.

"I'm sorry. I just nag you because…" The General paused, taking a deep breath. "Well, ever since I lost my son…" The pain in the older man's voice was obvious, and Solus felt as though he were intruding upon a conversation that was not his to witness.

"Uncle, you don't have to say it." The scarred boy's reply was short, his back turned to his Uncle.

"I think of you as my own." It seemed as though the older man was close to crying, and his nephew turned slowly.

"I know, Uncle. We'll meet again," With that, Zuko bowed towards his uncle, who embraced him. "After I have the Avatar." He extricated himself from the gesture, and stepped towards the waiting canoe. As it lowered, Iroh continued to call advice out to his nephew, while the small vessel continued to lower down to the waiting sea.

"I will follow him." Solus said quietly to the saddened General. "I will try to ensure his safety, and will send Kuzon if we find the Avatar." Iroh nodded, and moved to help Solus prepare a second canoe that was leaned haphazardly against one wall of the chamber. The young firebender was glad that he had kept his sword tied to his sash, it could come in handy later. When the small, hide-covered craft was finally situated in the correct position with ropes and pulleys preventing it from plunging down to the water below, Solus stepped into it, his hawk still on his shoulder.

"If Zhao asks, I will say you were overcome with a bout of seasickness." The old man called as Solus began lowering the tiny boat down the side of the ship. "And Solus?"

"Yes, General Iroh?"

"Do not forget your own well being while trying to ensure the safety of my nephew's. Stay safe."

Solus only nodded in reply, continuing his descent in silence, only pausing to ensure that Kuzon did not cry out. When he reached the water, he sat down in the vessel and lifted the two-sided oar from its resting place at the bottom. Looking ahead, he was just barely able to see Zuko, a small grey speck on a pale white and dark blue horizon. Paddling swiftly, he did his best to catch up without being too loud, his messenger hawk settling onto his shoulder. He wouldn't have minded sending his small companion ahead, but they would then run the risk of detection, something that Solus would not allow to happen. _It is going to be a long night, _Solus thought wearily. _Best he gets his sleep._

* * *

When he finally looked up from his oar, Solus was surprised to see the pale wall of the large city looming before him. Taking care to stay out of the sightlines of the patrolling, blue-clad sentries, he was able to see his friend pause before an opening in the ice and dive in, abandoning his canoe to the elements. When Solus reached the ice shelf where he had last seen Zuko, he pulled his own boat up next to the one that already lay on the cold, snowy ice, taking care to cover both up, hiding them away from prying eyes. Turning and whispering to Kuzon, Solus relayed his instructions for the bird.

"Fly up to that ridge, and wait for me to reappear in the city. I will signal for you when I need your help." With that, he tossed the hawk into the air, marvelling at its intelligence and obvious flying skill. Turning away from the red, rapidly shrinking spot that was soaring up to one of the ridges that surrounded the city, Solus breathed in deeply and leapt into the small circle of water, bracing for the cold.

It was not enough. The shock of the near-freezing water caused his downward swimming to become erratic, and the young firebender began to have difficulty continuing down the underwater path. The cold felt as though it were seeping into his bones, dragging him down into the dark depths of the Northern Ocean. Only by remembering to use his firebending to heat up the water around him did Solus manage to keep from drowning, grateful for the teachings of General Iroh.

Focusing his attention back on the goal of following Zuko, he pushed himself further downward, following the contours of the circular tunnel down and then up, finally surfacing after what seemed like hours of swimming, though it could not have been longer than a minute. Gasping for air and pulling himself out of the water and onto the icy floor, Solus was content to lie in the same position for a number of minutes before he became aware of Zuko, standing in shock only a couple of meters away.

"What are you doing here?" The question was brief, and brusque, and it took Solus a while before he could answer.

"You Uncle. He asked me to follow you, and make sure you didn't do anything stupid." The scarred firebender frowned at this, but his friend ignored him, too busy creating fire to warm up and dry his sodden, freezing clothes.

"Well, I am grateful for the assistance. I think I found a way in too, before you went and showed up." Zuko paused before continuing. "But I am grateful. Surprised, but grateful." Noticing that Solus had stood, obviously recovered from his bout of near-hypothermia, he gestured to the other firebender to follow. "This way. I think it leads to the inside of the city."

Nodding, Solus followed, noticing the passage that the Prince had indicated and groaning inwardly. He had thought that they had experienced enough frozen water passages for one day, but apparently Zuko disagreed. Pushing against the flowing current, the dark passage eventually opening up into a wider cave with an air pocket at the top. Pushing to catch up to his companion, Solus was finally able to surface, breathe in, and warm himself. Not bothering to speak, the scarred royal gestured to a larger passage, leading in a direction that would put them directly under the city. As the two swam up rapidly, they eventually saw light coming from a thin spot in the ice. Melting through the frozen water, the pair were finally able to surface, and pulled themselves up into the cold air.

Looking around, they found themselves in a culvert, watching a canal that divided the buildings like a road.

"We can rest here for a time," Zuko said quietly. "The Avatar can't go far. Not while the Fire Navy waits outside the city"

Nodding in agreement, Solus laid his head back against the cold side of the culvert, his body steaming as he attempted to purge the moisture with heat.

After a number of minutes passed, and Solus was finally feeling the cold leave his body, his friend looked up.

"We move now."

Nodding in agreement, he followed his friend out of the confines of the culvert, taking care not to make an excessive amount of noise. The two journeyed up, past numerous other canals, before arriving at a small wooden door.

"Through here. This is where he is. I can feel it." Zuko made the declaration with a surprising amount of certainty, causing Solus to raise an eyebrow. Surprisingly, when they opened the small door and looking out onto a small, sheltered lagoon. He was surprised to see green grass and trees, but the presence of tropical plants this far north had no apparent effect on Zuko. Standing by a pool on the small island in the center of the lagoon was the Southern Water Tribe girl, and sitting before her was the Avatar.

"Well, aren't you a big girl now?" Zuko sneered in reply to a comment that Solus had missed, causing him to raise his eyebrow again. _Seems that I have been doing _that_ a lot lately._

"Been working on your one-liners, eh Zuko?" he muttered, the other firebender ignoring him as they walked their way slowly towards the girl. It seemed that the water surrounding the green island was shallow enough to walk through. _Though there is still enough to give a waterbender an advantage._ He thought to himself, taking care to step swiftly through the water and onto dry land.

"No!" Gasped the girl, rapidly assuming a fighting stance.

"Yes!" Zuko sneered again, more triumphantly this time. "Hand him over, and I won't have to hurt you!"

"How chivalrous of you, Zuko." muttered Solus, feeling particularly sarcastic after his difficulty in the waters underneath the city. His commentary still ignored, he continued to circle slowly around the girl, his hands out in front of him in his own fighting stance.

Zuko leapt forward, blasts of fire leaping forth from his fists, soaring through the air towards the girl. To Solus' surprise, she was able to adeptly deflect all of the blasts, retaliating with a jet of water that threw the Prince back, off of his feet and into the water.

As Solus responded towards the aggression with attacks of his own, he shouted out to his friend.

"The moon, Zuko. They get their powers from-" His sentence was cut short by a blast of water that sent him tumbling head over heels, though it seemed that Zuko had understood his intention judging by the care he now took in attacking the waterbender, though it did him no good. Just as he began to advance again, she caught him fully in the chest with another jet of water, followed up by swirling the water around him, obviously attempting to create some sort of ice trap around the Prince.

Unluckily enough for the girl, she was interrupted before the process could be completed by a fireball, which knocked her off her feet and caused the streaming waters around Zuko to dissipate. Just as Solus advanced towards the Avatar, the obviously skilled waterbender retaliated in kind, a massive burst of water throwing him back against the wall and freezing around the firebender, pinning his arms to his sides.

From this vantage point, he was in the perfect position to watch the same happen to Zuko.

"We probably should have waited for daybreak." Solus sighed, and peered down at the place where their short battle had taken place. It truly was a curious sight, the bamboo trees framing the lush grass, all surrounding a clear pool with two circling koi fish. The Avatar still sat, cross-legged, his eyes and tattoo glowing, while his Southern Water Tribe friend paced nearby, like a lioness protecting her cub. In the distance, the horizon began to glow, the sky painted a range of colors, from deep purple to vibrant orange.

At first Solus was confused. What was this phenomena occurring where the night sky met the sea? The realization hit him just as the first rays of the sun peaked over the warship-studded ocean.

_The sunrise! _Solus thought, surprised that the night had passed so quickly. To his left, it seemed that Zuko had noticed as well, already working to melt the ice surrounding him, a wolfish snarl on his face. As the Prince leapt from his icy prison, the other firebender had already begun the same process, watching the cold water stream off of the frozen surface in tiny rivulets, then in pouring streams, until he was finally left standing in the water surrounding the small island.

His friend had already resumed the attack, springing forward as he was finally able to go on the offensive. A few quick bursts were all it took, and the waterbender lay sprawled on the ground, unconscious following the firebenders' rapid resurgence and consecutive ambush as Zuko lifted the Avatar from the grass.

"You rise with the moon," He said coolly, as Solus lifted a small carved whistle to his mouth. "I rise with the sun!"

The whistle made no noise, but the response was almost immediate. The messenger hawk swooped down towards the two firebenders, who were waiting with the Avatar in hand. The bird looked inquisitively at the unconscious airbender, who was held aloft only by Zuko's grip on his collar. Nodding to each other, the two red-clothed young men ran from the clearing, making towards a small path that led out of the bowl-shaped valley that the city was situated in.

The two trudged slowly through the snow, pausing every couple hundred steps to shift the Avatar from one to the other. A blizzard had formed around them, a myriad of tiny snowflakes whirling in the frosty air. Their clothes did little to keep the cold from seeping into their weary limbs, a feeling that reminded Solus of his short venture into the submerged ice tunnels beneath the Northern Water Tribe capital.

The ice below them had cracked and caved in multiple times, and yet they still journeyed, across leagues upon leagues of snow-clad terrain. Kuzon had long since taken shelter inside Solus' coat, the extra layers providing some insulation for both man and hawk against the raging elements. A blustery gale roared in the background at all times, like an enraged beast bellowing in fury at a hunter's attempts at subduing it.

"Zuko!" Solus shouted over the raging winds. "We need to find shelter soon, or none of us will make is out of this storm alive!"

His friend paused, obviously seeing the truth in the statement. His eyes scanned the horizon, searching for something, anything, that could protect them from nature's savagery.

"There!" He shouted back, pointing towards a small ice cave that looked out from a nearby bluff.

When they finally reached their destination, Zuko laid the Avatar against the wall of the cave and tied the bald child's hands and feet. Both firebenders used their bending to start a fire and warm the chamber, thawing their near-frozen hands and causing tiny droplets to drip from the ceiling. There was silence in the cold, hard shelter for some time before the Prince spoke again.

"I finally have you." Zuko began, obviously addressing the Avatar. "But I can't get you home because of this blizzard." The scarred boy stood, and began pacing at the mouth of the cave. "There's always something." Solus said nothing. He was not part of this conversation, only an observer. He wondered if his friend had finally lost his mind.

"Not that you would understand. You're like my sister. Everything always came easy to her. She's a firebending prodigy, and everyone adores her." Solus snorted at this. He had never liked Princess Azula, finding her to be an amplification of every singly bad quality that his friend possessed. Zuko said nothing to this, only continuing his one-sided conversation with the comatose Avatar.

"My father says she was born lucky. He says I was lucky to be born." The solitary figure standing at the entrance to the cave took a deep breath, and then continued, as if he were reassuring himself. "I don't need luck though. I don't want it. I have always had to struggle and fight, and that has made me strong, and it has made me who I am."

"Zuko." Solus' voice came quietly from his position, leaning against the icy wall. "You should probably get some rest. I will take first watch." the Prince sighed, nodding.

"Tell me if he wakes up."

With that, the other firebender walked to the rear of the cave and lay down, showing no trepidation towards sleeping on the frozen, icy floor. Solus began his vigil, allowing Kuzon to exit his coat. He smiled at the bird, feeding it the lasts scraps of dried meat in his pocket. He saw the Avatar shift, shuddering in his sleep. Looking out the entrance, and at the swirling patterns made by the snow and the wind, Solus sighed.

"I guess we will be here for a while. Better get comfortable." With that, he sat back, and resumed his watch. _Soon, the blizzard will be over. Then we can all be free of this madness._

It was a number of hours later, and on Zuko's watch, that the Avatar woke. Solus was brought out of his slumber soon after by Kuzon, who pecked at his forehead to wake him up.

"Welcome back." The Prince was addressing the Avatar calmly, watching as the airbender realized where he was.

"Good to be back." Solus was surprised to hear none of the boy's usual cheerful tone, before the young monk exhaled a powerful stream of air, propelling him from the cave and launching Zuko back several meters.

Solus was on his feet in seconds, and in pursuit of the Avatar before his friend surpassed him, sprinting up behind him with a speed that surprised both the Avatar and the other firebender.

"That won't be enough to escape." Zuko snarled, grasping the bald child by the collar and lifting him into the air.

"Appa!" Was the only response the Avatar gave, and Solus was just barely able to jump out the way of the massive flying bison as it landed with a _thud_.

"Here for a rematch?" Came Zuko's call towards the dismounting waterbender, this time accompanied by her brother and a third girl, one that was unfamiliar to the two firebenders.

"Trust me Zuko, it's not gonna be much of a match!" Came the reply, as the skilled waterbender responded to the query with both a word and a column of ice, sending Zuko up into the air before collapsing the frozen monolith beneath him, knocking the Prince unconscious.

"I hate my luck." Muttered Solus as he punched three fireballs in quick succession towards the blue-clad bender. The gesture was futile, as there was a full moon peeking out through the gaps between the clouds, giving the waterbender a surprising amount of power. She responded with a wave of ice, moving up from the ground and trapping Solus, leaving all but his shoulders and head encased in ice.

"This can't be good for my health." He frowned, watching as the Avatar and his friends leapt on top of their bison. The boy paused, just as they were about to leave, and looked down at first Zuko, and then Solus.

"Wait. We can't just leave them here."

"Sure we can!" Came a reply from someone that Solus could not see from his unmoving position.

"No, we can't!" The Avatar leapt from his mount and moved towards the unconscious Zuko. Solus was suddenly aware of a small creature gripping his shoulder tightly, and he smiled. It seemed that, even though he might have been going into captivity, Kuzon was coming with him.

"What should we do with this one?" Asked the Southern Water Tribe boy who now stood in front of him.

"You could tie me up with those ropes that you got off your friend there." Solus said amicably. "Anything is better than freezing to death in the snow."

"Katara!" Called the boy. "Unfreeze him so I can put this rope to good use."

Solus felt the water melting around him and stretched, sighing as he watched the rope-wielding warrior advance towards him. The firebender allowed his hands to be bound, and watched as the Avatar lifted him up onto the back of the massive bison.

As the creature flew, Solus sat back in the saddle and surveyed those around him while Kuzon sat on his shoulder. It seemed that the messenger hawk was equally interested in the new people around it, asthe bird peered around the saddle, it's bright yellow eyes flashing in the moonlight.

"Right, so I know him" Solus broke the silence, gesturing with his head towards the Avatar. "Aang, right? You two are…" He paused, thinking of the names of the Southern Water Tribe members in front of him. "Katara and… Sokka, right?" Remembering the names of his captors earned Solus nothing but glares, but he still persisted.

"Right, that is established. But who are you?" He gestured towards the second girl, who seemed to be separate from the other people on the back of the flying bison, in both clothes and mannerisms.

"Princess Yue." Came the sharp, angry reply from the Southern Water Tribe warrior.

"You brought a _Princess_ to hunt down Zuko and I?" Solus' reply was incredulous, seemingly oblivious to the looks his captors were giving him.

"Well, I'm flattered, but don't you think that is a bit… unsafe?" The firebender forged on. He would later reflect that this was likely out of an odd need to communicate with those he had helped to chase for so long, however illogical it might have been at the time.

"Well, whatever the case may be, my name is Solus." At this point, the others were staring at him as though he had gone completely insane.

"You will have to excuse my ramblings, I haven't slept for more than two hours in the past two days, I am a little exhausted." Still his companions said nothing, though Zuko was beginning to stir, though he was held by his bonds.

Suddenly, as the city finally came into sight, the full moon above him was doused in an angry shade of red. Solus gazed around in wonder, surprised at this new development, while both the Princess and the Avatar held their heads, as though they had suddenly developed headaches. He was vaguely aware of a conversation in the background, but the dazed firebender could do nothing but gaze around himself in wonder, curious as to what the cause was of this sudden shift in color.

When they eventually landed, the Avatar and his friends dismounted, allowing Solus to see Zhao standing with a group of soldiers by the pond where he and Zuko had captured the the airbender before. The Avatar was confronting the angry Admiral, likely warning the man against his current course when suddenly, an angry voice rang out. _Iroh!_ Solus thought, glad to hear the old man. He could hear sounds of fighting then, of anger and firebending. He noticed Zuko, finally waking up, and cutting his bonds with the sword that Solus had brought on the expedition with him. It seemed that the Avatar had carelessly forgotten to hide it, and the two were now able to escape the flying bison even as the moon began to disappear, leaving the sky a bleak shade of grey.

They dashed down streets and byways, Solus' exhaustion forgotten as a rush of adrenaline filled his veins. He did not know what their quarry was, he only knew that this was something that Zuko must have seen as important, more so than even the Avatar.

"You tried to have me killed!" His friend shouted at a figure in front of them, sending blasts of fire towards a figure standing before them. _Zhao._ Solus realized. _The one grudge more important to him than capturing the Avatar. _Understanding that this was a fight for the Prince and the Prince alone, Solus hung back, standing in the background even as the two initiated combat.

It was faster and more intense than any fight he had witnessed in his life. The two moved around each other like dancers, though they were far more passionate than any dance he had ever seen, fighting until a massive blue fist reached out of the water, pulling Zhao into the depths.

Solus, not believing his eyes, sat down. _I must have fallen asleep on the bison,_ He reasoned. _There is no way that could be real._

_**After Note: So ends book one (of the show, not of the story I am writing). I now understand why it was divided up into two episodes. This was a lot of material to cover in just one chapter, though I think it came out nicely. About twice as long as the usual, and with more dialogue, fight scenes, and POV. It also took far longer than usual to write (three days to write out, a total of four if you include editing). At this point, I plan to follow along with the show for a little while longer, and maintain the lighter tone, as I think it fits the story better. I hope you liked this chapter, and if you did, consider leaving a review, favoriting, or subscribing to me or the fanfic! Thanks for reading!**_


	11. Chapter 10

_**Author's Note: So, the chapter was far longer than I intended it to be, despite the fact that I liked the end result. I considered releasing it in two installments, but instead decided to just upload the whole thing at once, and I think it was perfect for a chapter that followed alongside the events of the Book 1 season finale. Now, we are on to Book 2, and it should be pretty interesting. I hope you like the chapter! Also, before I forget, I have managed to get line breaks working, and they will be in all future chapters. If you notice an area that seems like it needs a line break, tell me where in a review (or a PM, if you are inclined to do so) so I can fix it. **_

* * *

Solus was sitting at a small table in an Earth Kingdom spa resort in the Earth Kingdom. It had been weeks since their hurried departure from the Northern Water Tribe, and the three firebenders were now spending a nice, relaxing day at the spa they had found after first landing their makeshift boat on Earth Kingdom shores.

They had been adrift for some time, floating where the currents took them, living off the fish they could catch and the fresh water they could make by boiling sea water with their bending. The shores of the massive green country had been a welcome sight when they were first spotted by Zuko, and the trio had wasted no time in paddling for land. Now three men and a messenger hawk sat scattered around the courtyard that was shaded by a pair of cherry trees, their pink boughs swaying gently in the breeze. Iroh let out a contented sigh from where he lay, obviously prompted by the two expert masseurs who were giving him a massage.

"This is what I've been missing. Who knew that floating on a piece of driftwood for three weeks with no food or water could make one so tense?"

Solus chuckled at the old man's apparent contentedness, enjoying his cup of tea as he watched cherry blossoms spiral down from their trees, caught by the light breeze that blew through the spa.

"I have to say, I probably missed regular meals and good tea more than massages." The young firebender said as he watched Kuzon chase after some small prey that he could not see. "Though I certainly don't mind the chance to relax."

Only Zuko remained quiet, even more sullen than his usual self. Solus raised an eyebrow as the General stood and went to speak quietly with his nephew. Wondering for what had caused his friend's sadness, he sighed quietly when the realization hit him

_It has been three years since Zuko was banished, hasn't it? _Solus frowned, taking a deep sip of his tea as he thought. _He must miss his home. He never really wanted to travel as much as I did._

Recalling the days of their childhood friendship, the red-clad young man stared off into space, remembering the time he used to spend playing in the courtyard of the Royal Palace. His family had not lived far and due to the fact that his father was a member of the nobility, Solus had been allowed to be in the company of Fire Lord Azulon's grandchildren. He remembered the turtleducks, the bridges and the pagodas in the grassy courtyard. He remembered the others that had been there, Solus had been one of Zuko's only friends, but Azula had many.

_Azula._ The thought of his friend's sister caused Solus to sip his tea angrily. He had never liked the Princess, finding her to be far too arrogant for his tastes, even more so than her brother, who she had always treated badly. The Fire Lord's granddaughter had two supposed friends, Mai and Ty Lee, though she treated them as she treated her brother and Solus; with little respect and her trademark arrogance.

_It has been three years since I have seen any of the people I used to know at home._ The realization came as a shock, causing him to set down his tea rapidly and look at the figure that was approaching him. It was one of the male masseurs that worked at the spa who approached, speaking rapidly.

"Your friends are going to their chambers. Would you like me to show you to those that we have prepared for you?"

Solus nodded in agreement, allowing himself to be led off out of the courtyard to the nearby cluster of buildings that housed the guests that came to the resort. Kuzon followed behind them in the air, bobbing and weaving about on the many air currents that allowed the bird to fly without once flapping his wings and maintain a surprising amount of silence.

* * *

A couple of hours later, Solus walked happily towards the chamber that he shared with Zuko and Iroh. He had taken to calling it "The Tea Room" as it was where they sat and drank tea in the afternoons, something that had become a tradition that the three shared. It was for this purpose that he now carried a pot of water and some tea leaves with him, as he walked slowly and admired the natural beauty possessed by the area the spa had been built in.

As he neared the building, he could hear the two other firebenders talking. When he entered, a third, more feminine voice spoke, causing Solus to jump slightly and whirl around, almost spilling water all over the floor.

"Hello brother. And Uncle. Oh, and Solus, what a surprise!" It was a voice that the young firebender had not heard in years, and had no desire to hear.

"Azula." Solus' response was gruff. He had no desire to prolong conversation with his friend's sister, and he moved silently to the table at the back of the room, under the pretense of brewing the tea he had brought with him.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Zuko growled, his voice no friendlier than Solus'.

"In my country," Azula began, idly toying with a seashell that sat on a nearby table, "We exchange a pleasant hello before asking questions." She stood, prowling towards the three firebenders in a terrifyingly predatory manner. "Have you become uncivilized so soon, Zuzu?"

"Don't call me that!" Shouted the Prince. Solus raised an eyebrow at the use of the derogatory childhood nickname that Azula had taken to calling her brother.

"To what do we owe this honor?" Iroh interrupted the exchange, taking his usual place as the peacekeeper.

"Hmmm, both of you are so quick to get the point. It must be a family trait." Azula smiled dangerously as she crossed her arms. "I have come with a message from home. Father's changed his mind, and family is suddenly _very _important to him."

Solus frowned. Any change of mind by the Fire Lord was rare, and even those that did occur were rarely beneficial to those they affected. He suspected that there was some ulterior motive that the Princess had for coming to find her brother and her uncle, but he could not think of what it might be.

"He has heard rumors of plans to overthrow him, of treacherous plots against the Fire Nation." Azula continued, now addressing Zuko alone. "Family are the only ones you can really trust, and Father regrets your banishment; he wants you home."

The room was silent, and Solus dared not speak. This was an incredibly extreme choice for Fire Lord Ozai to make, and quite out of character. The female firebender's true motivations were again dubious, and he vowed to not let his guard down for fear of betrayal. The firebender in question seemed puzzled at the lack of positive response and stepped forward.

"Did you hear me? You should be happy, or excited and very grateful." Her tone was initially sharp, though it lightened as she continued. "I just gave you great news!"

"I am sure your brother simply needs a moment-" The General began before he was interrupted by his niece.

"Don't interrupt!" She shouted, returning to her usual demeanor, speaking like a petulant child. "I still haven't heard my thank you," she turned to Zuko again, stepping towards him. "I am _not_ a messenger. I didn't have to come all this way."

"Father… regrets?" The scarred boy's response was slow, and he spoke softly. "He… wants me back?"

"I can see you need time to take this in. I will come by tomorrow." Azula's response was said in a manner that implied finality as she strode from the room.

* * *

A few hours later, night had fallen and the three men were sitting around one of the many tables in the so-called "Tea Room". Zuko spoke joyfully, sorting through a variety of clothes and small parcels as he prepared his items for travel. Solus and Iroh sat quietly by, sipping their tea, and both seemed troubled.

"We're going home! After three long years!" Zuko said joyfully. "It's unbelievable!"

"It _is _unbelievable." Replied the General, frowning as he sipped his tea. "I have never known my brother to regret _anything_."

"Did you listen to Azula?" the Prince looked up from his gathered items, frowning. "He realized how important family is to him. He cares for me!"

"I have never known your sister to be the bearer of such good news. I find it suspicious." Solus said between sips of tea. "The only time she ever treated you in such a friendly manner was when she was teasing you."

"I agree with Solus, and if Ozai wants you back, I do not think it is for the reason you imagine." Iroh spoke sternly, and Zuko stood.

"You don't know how my father feels about me!" He was raising his voice now, almost at a shouting level. "You don't know anything!"

"Zuko, I only meant that in our family, things are not always what they seem." Iroh stood now, his voice placating.

"I think you are exactly what you seem!" The scarred firebender turned angrily. "A lazy, mistrustful, shallow old man who has always been jealous of his brother!"

"That was unnecessary Zuko." Solus was standing now, having placed his tea cup on the table. "You only say these things about your uncle because you fear that he is correct."

The Prince whirled on him, his fists clenched in anger.

"You are no better than he is!" Zuko shouted as he stormed out of the room, his fury causing steam to drift from his nose.

* * *

The following morning, Solus and Iroh rushed down a rocky footpath, following Zuko as he walked towards the warship docked in the harbor.

"Wait!" The older man called out to his nephew, causing the scarred traveler to pause long enough for the two to catch up to him.

"Uncle! Solus! You've changed your minds!" His reply was happy, truly contented at the opportunity to return to his home.

"Of course. Family sticks together!" Iroh closed the distance to his nephew and place his hand on the young man's shoulder.

"I am obligated by the terms of my parent's agreement with your uncle to assist him wherever he goes, so long as it is controlled by the Fire Nation or aboard a Fire Navy vessel." Solus paused, before adding "I also wouldn't mind a trip home to see my family."

"We're finally going home!" Zuko declared happily, before resuming his walk down to the shore with his Uncle and Solus walking behind him.

When they finally reached the pier which the Fire Navy vessel was situated at, a large number of uniformed royal guards greeted them, along with Azula, who called down to them from the deck of her massive ship.

"Brother! Uncle! Solus! Welcome to my ship!" She began, her voice echoing around the small sheltered bay, in the middle of which they were standing. "I am so glad you decided to come!"

As they walked up the causeway, Iroh glanced at Solus briefly. Though it was only for a short moment, the young firebender could see the warning in his mentor's eyes. The older man's suspicions aligned with his, and they would have to be on their guard. Overhead, a dark brown speck circled, the only indication that Kuzon was still following the two Fire Nation royals and their friend.

"Are we ready to depart, your highness?" Asked the helmeted captain of the massive ship.

"Set our course for home, captain." Azula's response was cheerful, far too cheerful for the liking of both the older General and his "assistant".

"Home." Sighed Zuko happily, and they began walking up the metal gangway that lead to the ship.

"You heard the princess!" The captain shouted again, gesturing to the guards. "Raise the anchors! We're taking the prisoners home!"

The man's obvious mistake cause Solus to exhale sharply, and only Iroh moved faster than he. The two turned immediately, assuming the best offensive position they could on the narrow ramp and began to engage the guards that ran towards them.

As their assailants tumbled into the sea or were dispatched by a blow from a fist or blast of fire, Zuko ran up the gangway shouting.

"You lied to me!"

"Like I've never done _that _before." Azula's reply was condescending, a return to her norm, and she gestured dismissively to the guards, ordering them to attack her brother. While the two firebenders fought through the last guards, Zuko ran towards his sister, fire already forming in his hands.

"Zuko!" Iroh shouted as he tossed a man off of the stone causeway. "Let's go!"

No reply came, and Iroh rushed up the gangway after his nephew, leaving the last guard for Solus to dispatch. When the man was dealt with, he rushed up after his friend, only stopping to duck as lightning seared overhead.

_Lightning!? Since when can she do that!? _His thoughts were hurried, but the idea of fighting a lightningbender still gave him pause. The firebender had read about it before, the stories of more talented benders possessing the ability to generate bolts of lightning as opposed to the usual fire. Said benders were considered incredibly dangerous, due to the volatile nature of their craft.

Solus had just enough time to reach the top of the ramp before a blast of lightning seared away to his left, apparently diverted from a bolt aimed at Zuko. As Iroh and his nephew turned, already running for the gangway on which the young man stood, he intercepted them and ran at their side as they escaped the mad Princess whose shouts could still be heard as they escaped the pier.

* * *

The sun was setting on the Southern Water Tribe palace as the young Fire Nation man paused in the telling of his story.

"We should probably read those letters at some point, shouldn't we?" He asked to his one-woman audience, who nodded silently in agreement.

"But we will continue tomorrow. I need to find out what happens next." She replied, an expression that was a mixture of a smile and a frown on her face as she watched her friend pour another cup of tea.

* * *

_**After Note: Well, it seems that my chapters have had a trend of being longer lately. Not that I mind, but they are taking longer to publish, and I hope that this isn't too much of a problem for those actively following the story. I also have been neglecting to put any sort of "present day" (present day being some time between books 3 and 4 of The Legend of Korra) point of views, so I figured I should probably add that to the end of this chapter, as it is the first that depicts events in Book 2. So, I hope you liked the newest addition to The Way of the Dragon, and if you did (and read this far), any subscribes, favorites, or reviews are quite welcome! Also, I would like to shout out to my amazing beta reader, CEObrainz, to thank him with the great work he has done with helping to ensure the best finished product possible.**_


	12. Chapter 11

_**Author's Note: So I ended up procrastinating far more than I should have on this, so if it comes out later than my preferred Sunday publishing date, then I apologize in advance. There was also some sort of trouble with chapter 10 that I attempted to fix yesterday, and after bumbling around with 's interface, I ended up resubmitting by mistake (though the issue was rectified, just a typo).** **I**** plan on writing this to be about as long as the previous chapter, with similar content and pacing. I hope you like it!**_

* * *

In the Southern Water Tribe Palace, what had become a nightly ritual was taking place. The two young benders were sitting at the table in the center of the room, drinking tea, and the firebender was just about to resume his story.

"Now, where was I?" He asked, placing his steaming tea cup on the table.

"Solus, Iroh, and Zuko had just fought Azula on her ship." The blue-clad woman sitting opposite him prompted.

"Ah yes, well, as you may or may not know, immediately after escaping, Zuko and his Uncle cut their hair so as not to match the pictures on their wanted posters. After that, the three headed into the Earth Kingdom to avoid the anyone who might recognize them..."

* * *

Solus was walking through the forest, searching slowly through the green underbrush for something to eat. They had been traveling for a number of days now, deeper and deeper into what was technically enemy territory, and had eaten the last of their limited food supplies hours ago. Now both him and Zuko were searching all around their campsite for some form of berry, nut, mushroom, or even animal that they could eat. So far, the two had found neither berries nor mushrooms, and any creatures they encountered were far too small to provide adequate sustenance.

Kuzon, on the other hand, had had much more success in his hunting, already catching multiple mice and a small shrew, which the bird had offered to the less adept members of the group, though they declined; The animal had been tiny and hardly worth the trouble.

"I didn't find anything to eat." Zuko said, stumbling back into the clearing. "What about you Solus?"

"Not a thing." the firebender joined his friend in the center of the clearing they had stopped in. "No nuts or berries, and the only mushrooms I saw were poisonous. As for actual meat, Kuzon caught some, but none of it was large enough to bother skinning and eating."

His attention was caught by Iroh, who was standing crouched in front of a small green bush that had flowers sprouting out of it. The older man was gazing at the largest blossom, and the two other firebenders walked up behind him, curiously.

"Uncle, what are you doing?" Zuko asked, as the other man inhaled deeply, smelling the colorful flower.

"You're looking at the rare White Dragon bush. It's leaves make a tea so delicious it's heartbreaking!" he smiled as he spoke, obviously recalling some memory of drinking the fabled flower's tea. "That, or it's the White Jade bush, which is poisonous."

"We need food, not tea!" Zuko responded frustratedly.

"Even I have to agree with Zuko in this case, General Iroh." Solus frowned, his stomach grumbling loudly. "Hunger takes precedent over my love of tea, in this case."

"I'm going fishing." Ssighed the Prince, and he strode off purposefully into the brush.

* * *

When they returned from fishing, Iroh was crouched in the same position they had left him in, his back facing the two firebenders. They had caught very little, finding the river almost entirely empty, failing to catch even what they saw.

"Zuko, remember that plant I thought might be tea?" The General asked, his back still turned to the pair.

"You _didn't_." Zuko's reply was a mix of shock and curiosity, amplified only when his Uncle turned to face the two. The man's face was a blotchy red, patches of rash covering the entirety of his head, causing the scarred firebender to drop the stick that he had used as a fishing pole and his friend to step back in surprise.

"When the rash spreads to my throat, I will stop breathing." Iroh stood, walking towards them. "But look what I found! These are bacui berries, known to cure the poison of the White Jade bush!" His tone was oscillating between remorseful and happy at this point, as he discussed the potential use of the berries he held in his hand. "That, or maka'ole berries that cause blindness."

Zuko did not hesitate in snatching the small red berries out of his Uncle's hand, tossing them to the side.

"We're not taking any more chances with these plants!" the frustrated bender shouted. "We need to get help."

"But where are we going to go?" the general's response was desperate. "We're enemies of the Earth Kingdom, and fugitives of the Fire Nation!"

This caused Solus, who had been previously silent, to step forward and make a suggestion.

"We could try our luck in one of the nearby Earth Kingdom towns. They will kill us if they find out our identities, but anything is better than getting turned over to Azula."

"Agreed. Deeper into the Earth Kingdom it is." Zuko declared, the three men and the bird walking East on the narrow path that would lead them toward the nearest town.

They walked for hours, the older of the three men's condition worsening as time passed. His former rash had developed into a series of angry pink boils covering his face, and green splotches developing alongside them. The day was warm but not unpleasant, and they were finally able to see the wooden gate of a town by the time the sun was halfway across the sky.

Wordlessly, the they walked down the street and into a small clinic that advertised free care for the sick and injured. After being led into the building, a friendly woman approached them and began treating Iroh's rash and boils, quietly making conversation as she worked.

"You three must not be from around here." she said cheerily. "We know better than to touch the White Jade, let alone make it into tea and drink it."

This elicited a chuckle and a shrug from the General, whose face was still quite swollen.

"So where are you traveling from?" the woman asked, causing Zuko to stand quickly and speak nervously.

"Uh, yes, we're travelers!" he stammered, unsure of what to say.

"We are refugees, traveling wherever the road takes us." Solus came to his rescue, in a more relaxed tone. "Our goal is to eventually end up in Ba Sing Se."

"I see," the woman replied. "Do you have names?"

"My name is Solus, and this is, uh," It was now the seated firebender's turn to become tongue tied and this time his friend came to the rescue.

"I'm Lee and this is my Uncle Mushi." The name earned Zuko a frown from his uncle, who added his own contribution to the tale.

"Yes, my nephew was named after his father so we just call him Junior!" the older man added brightly, before grinning vengefully at his nephew.

"Mushi, Solus, and Junior huh?" the woman continued, unaware of the consternation that this name had caused the latter of the three. "My name is Song. You three look like you could use a good meal. Why don't you stay for dinner?"

Zuko began to decline, but was interrupted by his friend.

"We would love to stay for dinner!" Solus cut in excitedly, earning himself a glare from the scarred Prince standing next to him.

"Glad to hear it. My mom always makes too much roast duck, and we can never eat it all." her reply was all Solus' stomach needed to begin grumbling.

"Where exactly do you live?" Iroh asked, forgetting his injuries at the prospect of a good meal.

* * *

"My daughter tells me you are refugees." Song's mother began in a friendly tone. "We were once refugees ourselves."

The three firebenders were sitting around a low table, accompanied by the woman they had met at the clinic and her mother. Kuzon was roosting nearby, his head tucked beneath an orange wing. They had ensured that the bird would keep out of sight during the day and only sleep at night, in order to avoid any curious passerby to noticing the messenger hawk's brilliant plumage.

"When I was a little girl, the Fire Nation raided our farming village. All the men were taken away, and that was the last time I saw my father." Song continued sadly, her head bowed as she spoke.

"I haven't seen my father in many years." Zuko's reply was quiet, and he spoke sadly.

"Oh. Is he fighting in the war?" Song responded, looking up at the scarred boy before her.

"Yeah." the Prince spoke only briefly, before finishing his food and stepping outside.

Solus ate the last remnants of his meal, before standing and bowing before the hostess, thanking her for the food. He then followed his friend outside and sat not far away from the seated firebender. The two sat in silence for a time, saying nothing and doing little more than staring off into the darkness. Their vigil was only interrupted by Song, who exited the small house and sat next to Zuko.

"Can I join you?" She asked, interpreting the lack of verbal response as acceptance. "I know what you have been through. We've all been through it. The Fire Nation has hurt you."

_In Zuko's case, the Fire Nation has hurt him in more ways than one._ Solus thought, longing to speak, though he knew it would be a bad idea. He watched as the Earth Kingdom girl reached towards his friend's scar, before her hand was intercepted in mid-air by the gentle yet firm grip of the owner of said scar.

"It's ok. They've hurt me too." she said softly, reaching down and pulling up the section of her pants that covered her knee. A large burn scar was there, and the sight of it caused Solus to wince and frown deeply.

_I wonder how many people have scars like that,_ He pondered darkly, _besides Zuko and Song._

Before he could continue down this lane of thought, his scarred friend stood, speaking to the Earth Kingdom girl that sat next to him.

"We have to go now." the declaration was terse, and he turned and nodded to Solus. They walked out towards the front of the small, brightly lit house and stood with Iroh as they thanked their hostesses for the meal.

"Thank you for the duck. It was excellent." the General spoke happily, the satisfaction evident in his voice.

"You're welcome. It brings me joy to see someone eat my cooking with such… gusto." the elder of the two women replied, as she handed the man a package of food.

"Much practice." he smiled, and both Iroh and Solus bowed in gratitude while Zuko turned and began walking away. "Junior! Where are your manners? You need to thank these nice people." the older man reprimanded his nephew, who turned briefly.

"Thank you." the scarred boy's reply was brief, and his bow equally brief, before he turned back onto the path and continued walking.

"I know you don't think there is any hope left in the world," Song called after him. "But there is hope! The Avatar has returned!"

Her voice was quiet against the symphony of crickets and other insects, and for a moment Solus wondered if his friend had heard her at all.

"I know." Zuko's reply was grim, and this time he only paused for a moment to speak before continuing down the road. Solus sighed and walked after him, whistling softly to wake Kuzon. They passed a picketed ostrich horse farther on down the path, and the scarred firebender stopped in front of it, moving to untie the creature and take hold of its reigns.

"What are you doing?" Iroh whispered to his nephew. "These people just showed you great kindness."

"They're about to show us a little more kindness." he replied, mounting the feathered creature. "Well? Are you two coming or not?"

Sighing, Solus followed Iroh's unwilling example and climbed atop the sturdy creature, before Zuko twitched his feet and they strode off into the night, Kuzon soaring beside them as the ostrich horse ran.

_No wonder he has a problem with honor, _Solus thought bleakly, his thoughts accompanied by the steady pounding of the creature's feet as the lights from the house receded behind them.

_**After Note: I said it would be about the same length as the previous chapter, and it seems I was right. Though I did type this up all in one night, as opposed to the usual two. I also had a brief continuation of the "present day" point of view. It likely won't be entirely relevant in this story, but if I ever plan on a sequel, I would assume that you can guess when it will take place. This is also the most peaceful chapter, as I do believe that every other one had some form of physical conflict. This trend will likely continue for most of Book 2, as there is less Avatar-pursuing and more wandering the Earth Kingdom. Also, if you liked the chapter, I hope you consider either leaving a review or favoriting or subscribing. Thanks for reading!**_


	13. Chapter 12

_**Author's Note: This chapter is a combination of the events of multiple episodes during book 2. I also plan for it to be at least as long as the previous two chapters, perhaps with slightly faster pacing. I would also like to note that this fan fiction has had, as of today (it may have happened earlier, but today was the first day that I noticed), over 1,000 views. So, I am going to take this moment to thank my beta reader, CEObrainz, for his wonderful editing work, as well as all of those who have read this far. The support is very much appreciated, and I am glad that people can enjoy the stuff I write. So, now, on to the chapter!**_

* * *

Solus was walking swiftly down the arid path, the sun burning down intensely from above. His surroundings were bare, with the exception of a few scraggly weeds, stunted cacti, and drought-stricken trees that poked up through the barren hills. The skies were empty, only a few white streaks making any indication that clouds could even exist in this sun-baked land. Every so often, he would cross deep ravines or jagged canyons, with narrow bamboo bridges built across them as the path cut across the dry landscape.

The young firebender was following a tiny black speck in the otherwise blue sky, barely visible as it soared above him. The speck was Kuzon, who he had ordered to fly high above and track their quarry as it moved swiftly across the landscape. The bird had been tracking its target admirably, as indicated by the occasional ostrich horse tracks and campsites Solus had passed in the past few days. He had been following his target for days now, only stopping when it stopped and he was beginning to grow tired. The rations he had obtained from a vendor in one of the towns he had passed through were starting to run out and he hadn't seen any indication of civilization beyond the rare fellow traveler and the bamboo bridges that spanned the width of many a canyon.

The exhausted bender was lucky, in that he had been able to find water sources to fill his waterskin, but he still wondered how long it would be before he could catch up to the mounted rider he was following. As he strode down the rocky track, his thoughts wandered to the events that had led up to him following his bird through the desert.

* * *

It had started a little more than a week ago, while Zuko, Solus, and Iroh were in one of the small towns that dotted the countryside. Kuzon had been hunting in the countryside surrounding the settlement and otherwise staying out of sight, though he returned to the group at nightfall. The two related firebenders had been reduced to begging for coin, though Zuko refused to participate. Solus himself had been searching through the village for work, and was only now taking a break from his only semi-fruitful search, sitting with his two companions with their ostrich horse.

"This is humiliating!" Zuko groused, his arms folded in front of him following another bout of his uncle's begging. "We're royalty; these people should be giving us whatever we want."

"They will, but only if you ask nicely." Iroh replied calmly.

"And if you have patience." Solus added, leaning up against the stolen horse. "You would likely be better off searching for ways to _make_ money, like me."

Zuko only snorted in contempt, disdaining the idea of physical labor. When a young woman passed by, Iroh called out pitifully.

"Spare change for a hungry old man?" he groveled successfully, much to the frustration of his nephew. "The coin is appreciated, but not as much as your smile."

The woman giggled, before resuming her stroll through the streets. Minutes later, a sword-wielding man had stopped in front of them, with a wolfish grin plastered across his face.

"How about some entertainment in exchange for..." he paused, reaching into the coin purse at his waist. "A gold piece?"

"We're not performers." Zuko replied angrily, his eyes hidden below the brim of his hat.

"Not professional, anyway." Iroh cut in, before his young companion would make the man and his gold piece to leave.

He stood and began singing a song, about the way to Ba Sing Se and the merits of the women within its walls. He was interrupted within moments of starting his song by the man, who unsheathed the swords on his back and crossed them before him, much to the dismay of both seated firebenders.

"Come on, we're talking about a gold piece here." the man twirled the swords in front of the singing General, who stepped back. "Let's see some action. Dance!"

After issuing his command, the man began swiping down at the older man before him, who continued singing while his feet jumped about, out of the way of the blades. Solus could see his friend growing increasingly angry at the scene in front of them. Getting his friend's attention with a small gesture of his hands, the firebender only shook his head slightly, making the scarred boy sigh, sit back, and nod his head in acceptance. When the song ended, the man laughed raucously, before sheathing his swords.

"Nothing like a fat man dancing for his dinner." he took out a small golden coin and tossed it at their feet. "Here ya go."

"Such a kind man." Iroh said as the sword-wielder walked away down the street. Zuko said nothing at this, only gazing off after the rapidly diminishing figure.

* * *

_That was the start of it._

Solus was still walking through the desert, his recollections still at the forefront of his mind. He drank water out of his half-full waterskin, not bothering to stop as his thoughts turned to what had happened afterwards.

They had been settled outside of a different town, just Solus and Iroh, when Zuko had walked into camp with a large object slung in a brown sack across his back. He had pulled a golden tea set out of the bag, giving it to his uncle. They had then begun to suspect thievery, as the scarred firebender had a shortage of money in the past days. After the General confronted his nephew, the young bender had been conflicted, deciding to travel alone for a time. It was then that Iroh had turned to Solus, handing him much of the money they had collected as well as some of the food in their stores.

"Will you make sure that my nephew is safe?" The old man had asked.

Solus had only nodded in acceptance, packed his possessions and food. He had followed Zuko for the past four days, into the dry regions of the Earth Kingdom, where he was now tracking the mounted Prince across hill and canyon.

The tan desert surrounded him, and he again lifted the waterskin to his mouth, marveling at how welcome the warm water was, soothing his parched throat. The firebender worried that it would he would run out of water before he could find a new spring or stream to fill the vessel in.

As the brown soil began to turn to yellow grass, Solus stopped at the top of a hill, looking down at the valley before him. The sight was enough to dispel any worries of thirst or starvation, making it both beautiful and relieving at the same time. It was a vivid orange color in the setting of the sun, fields of sunflowers, livestock, and wheat made golden in the fading light. In the center of the cliff-flanked basin, there sat a small village, made almost entirely of small wooden houses and shacks, separated by dusty streets and dry alleys.

Walking down the main road in the center of the town the young firebender was made uneasy by the absence of people in the streets. There was nobody he could see nearby, only bolted doors and latched shutters, and nothing other than the low howling of the wind that raced through alleyways and blew dust into the air from the dry street.

As he walked, Solus kept a constant hand on the hilt of his sword, prepared for any potential combatants that he might encounter in the empty streets. He was suddenly conscious of his lack of substantial armor, only protected by light padding in the shoulders of his light traveling tunic.

After wandering around for several moments he suddenly became aware of voices, speaking at what must have been a loud volume, though they were far enough away that the lone swordsman could only hear snatches of conversation, carried to him on the breeze. Quickening the pace of his tired legs, he could see in the distance what appeared to be a sort of town square, with distant figures standing in it's center. Though they were a large distance away his tired eyes could make out what appeared to be both red and green uniforms on the men. They looked to be standing at the base of a lone watchtower that occupied what seemed to pass for the town square.

When he neared the plaza, Solus began to take care to move stealthily, drawing his sword and moving slowly through side streets with the goal of circumnavigating the main square. As he neared said square the sword-wielding firebender was able to identify and count the figures standing at the base of the rickety wooden watchtower.

There was a total of ten Fire Nation soldiers standing there, some with pikes and some who were obviously benders, due to their unarmed state. They were standing around a group of Earth Kingdom people, a mix of civilians and soldiers, though the civilians outnumbered the soldiers three to one. There were children there, some crying and some silent, though all looked terrified. Only after continuing to move around a small hut was he able to see what the red-clad soldiers were doing, as they moved crates and sacks onto a pile underneath the wooden structure.

_They're taking all of the food from the villagers, _thought the hidden bender. _But why? Why do they throw it so haphazardly onto a pile?_

As if to answer his question, one of the closest soldier's to Solus' hidden position began speaking with his companion away from the group.

"They don't know it yet, but the boss plans to burn the entire place down, and the fields too." the firebender smirked to his friend. "But he will only kill the soldiers. The rest he will leave to either starve or burn with their houses."

The hidden firebender recoiled as if slapped or thrown into icy water. These plans were so far removed from the ideals of honor and justice that had been instilled in him from a young age that it had taken a moment to fully comprehend the words of the soldiers. These men were planning on forcing innocent people, the innocent men, women, and children that lay bound before them on the dusty ground to choose between starvation or a fiery death, and it shook him to his core.

Solus now felt all of the doubts and concerns about the his home country crashing back onto him, the feeling of horror soon overtaken by a wave of burning rage that drowned all hope of rational thought. His fist clenched around the hilt of the sword, and he sprang swiftly out of his concealed position.

He bore down on the two oblvious Fire Nation troops like a charging rhinoceros, bashing the first man on the temple with the hilt of his sword, dropping him like a stone. Still moving forward, the enraged man sent the pommel of his weapon into the stomach of the second soldier before following the move up with a knee to his temporarily stunned target's face.

With the first two Fire Nation soldiers dispatched, Solus sprinted forward and forgetting himself in his haste, sent a bolt of flame searing towards the nearest firebender. The concentrated blast had it's intended effect, throwing the man backwards and into his companions with a crash.

From then on, everything was a blur. The enraged firebender was only aware of his anger, at the injustice and cruelty of his country that he had once held dear. The sword was a blur before him, oftentimes channeling blasts of fire through the tempered steel. One by one, the seven remaining men fell to the flaming whirlwind of metal and flame, until only one was left standing.

As the bloodlust began to clear, Solus could see the various soldiers of the small Fire Nation division lying in heaps all around him, some clutching their heads and moaning while others still lay unconscious on the dusty floor. The last man, who he assumed to be the leader, stepped towards him swinging a massive hammer, almost reaching the swordsman with it's massive weighted head.

This effort, however, was not enough. Finding himself free of the burdensome rage that had fueled his previous actions, the firebender was now only driven by a desire to survive and complete the task appointed to him. As the giant weapon swung down towards his skull, he sidestepped and, returned with his own stab upwards.

The honed blade bit through leather armor and flesh like nothing Solus had ever seen before, and he winced in revulsion, almost dropping the weapon. However it was not he who ended up dropping his weapon in the end, as the large man reacted in surprise, dropping his hammer and staring down at the metal protruding from his chest before collapsing to his knees.

Fighting to refrain from vomiting, the shaken bender pulled the sword from the heart of his foe, turned away quickly, forcing himself to look away from the bloody spectacle that he had just caused. Snatching a fallen dagger from the ground, he cut the bonds of one of the tied up men, before handing the man the dagger and walking at a rapidly increasing pace away. Sheathing his weapon swiftly and snatching a number of packages of traveling food from the pile underneath the watchtower, Solus ran. He ran, exiting the outskirts of the small Earth Kingdom town. He continued running, up hill and up the path, eventually stopping by a smalls stream and collapsing to the ground.

Solus vomited, the shock of his fight finally catching up to him as he emptied the contents of his stomach onto the green grass by the stream.

* * *

_**After Note: That ended up far more bloody than I really expected anything is this fanfic to be. However, I do not think it was unnecessary, but instead an experience that will certainly shape Solus and the way he makes decisions in the future. I promise that I will avoid any further unnecessary violence, though result in my changing the fiction rating to M, I am not sure. Also, sorry that this chapter took so long to publish. On top of the fact that it took me two days to write and a third to get the edited document back, I was unable to implement any of the changes yesterday due to factors beyond my control. At any rate, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and if you did, that you consider reviewing, subscribing, or favoriting.**_


	14. Chapter 13

_**Author's Note: This chapter took way longer than I would like to be published. This is due to the fact that I have been incredibly busy the past couple of days, and have not really had time to write, and I apologize for it. Luckily, however, I now have an abundance of time to write, so those of you who are following along can expect and increased number of chapters of the next couple of days. So, now, on to the chapter!**_

* * *

Solus lay on the cool, fresh, grass by the stream. The water flowed softly and crickets chirped together, their many voices filling the shadowy night. The firebender had, upon vomiting profusely, fallen into a blurred semi-asleep state, his thoughts only partially coherent.

The lack of rest for the past week and the swift traveling he had undertaken had rendered the young man extremely exhausted, but deep sleep did not come easily to him. Instead, his dreams were vivid, of fire and blood mixed with the tiny songs of a thousand insects. Every now and then, a plopping sound would come from the swiftly moving creek as fish leapt from it's watery confines.

Solus did not know how long he had been there, for there was no indication of the passing of time, only the combined symphony of crickets and fish, brook and wind-blown trees. He eventually was made aware of the fact that he was not in solitude, and that there was someone, or perhaps something, that shared the small grassy bank with him. Eventually, it spoke.

"Solus? Is that you?" Came the calm voice, violently ushering the firebender out of his dream-laden trance and into the moonlit world of the waking.

With a shout, he reached for the sword that lay next to him and pulled it from it's sheath. Luckily, the swordsman had taken the necessary precautions to clean the weapon before he had succumbed to his slumber, so that while it was not as sharp as it could be, the weapon came smoothly out of it's container, no trace of the prior incident on the polished steel.

Blinking sleep from his eyes, he waved the sword haphazardly into the night.

"Ehhh? Who's there?" the question was very slightly slurred, the exhaustion not yet leaving the startled firebender.

"Solus, it's me." a light flared up, causing shadows to spring up all around the clearing. "It's Zuko."

As his eyes adjusted to the light, Solus realized that the speaker was indeed Zuko, his friend, and his target.

"Zuko?" he began, his tone confused. "I thought I was supposed to be following you…"

"You should probably sit down." his friend said calmly. "And explain why you were following me and why you were laying by a stream next to a puddle of what looks to be vomit."

The swordsman sheathed his weapon, and sat down heavily on the soft green ground. Slowly, he began to relate the tale of how he had ended up in this position, from Iroh asking the young firebender to follow his nephew, to the incident in the city, and now his unplanned nap beside the stream.

"... and that is how I ended up here." Solus finished, finally feeling fully awake. "Wherever here is."

"I see." mused Zuko, his arms crossed thoughtfully, before preempting the question he could see his friend beginning to ask. "Kuzon is roosting in that tree over there."

The seated bender nodded, and then began his next question.

"Well, now that I have finally caught up to you, where exactly are we going?"

"I have been following my own prey, believe it or not." the scarred firebender paused, watching as his friend looked up expectantly. "Azula seems to have found a new toy." he gestured to the massive strip of overturned earth that had gone previously unnoticed by the other firebender. "I was following her when I saw someone asleep by the stream. You."

Solus nodded, realizing that he must have passed the Prince in his hurry to get away from the gruesome spectacle he had left in the Earth Kingdom village. Standing, he picked up what belongings he had with him and stood next to his friend, who had begun to do the same.

"I do not have any desire to sleep anymore tonight. The sun should rise soon." the bender stated, despite the dark circle underneath his eyes. His companion nodded, and together they leapt up onto the back of the ostrich horse that had been waiting in the clearing.

They rode swiftly, not pausing to eat or drink, watching as the sun rose above the grassy plains the tracks now cut across. The breeze pulled at the hems of their clothing, as it gusted across the open lands. Ahead of them, a column of smoke had begun to show against the blue of the clear morning sky and Zuko finally broke the silence.

"I know how you feel." he turned slightly, noticing the sidelong glance his friend was giving him. "Killing someone else."

"When?" the response was simple and quiet, barely audible against the combined sounds of the ostrich horse and the other, softer sounds of morning.

"When those pirates blew up the ship." the Prince began haltingly. "They didn't just blow up the ship. They sent people after me and I was practicing my firebending at the time. I cut down at least two before the rest decided to just destroy the entire ship."

Solus nodded, the wind tousling his hair slightly as they rode.

"I never told you or Uncle, and only focused on revenge." Zuko continued. "My rage made me powerful. I thought admitting that killing bothered me would be seen as weakness."

"We would have understood." the other firebender replied, before amending his statement. "Or at least, your Uncle would have. Not sure about me, until now." he frowned, looking up to see Kuzon circling in the sky above them, reassuring himself that his hawk was still there.

The silence resumed, and the ostrich horse ran on. It ran unfalteringly, and the group finally came to a pine tree shrouded clearing. The massive machine that they had been following sat there, crouching like a menacing beast that could pounce on them at any moment. It was quiet, as though slumbering, with any crew either gone or otherwise engaged. Dismounting, the scarred firebender followed his friend, who had proven over time to be the more adept tracker.

"What do you see?" the Prince asked, crossing his arms in front of him as his companion knelt in the grass.

"There is white fur here. Some kind of animal." he paused, his eyes searching the crushed grass for more clues. "There were multiple people here, and three…"

Solus frowned, the hand he had used to point out the curious tracks falling to his sides.

"Lizards. Mongoose lizards. They are mounted, but they split up." he gestured to the trail of white fur that led off into the dark green trees. "One went that way, the other two seemed to follow some other path."

"My sister" Zuko stated, the distaste apparent on his marred face. "She would be the one to split up."

The other bender nodded, standing slowly from his crouched position, and turning towards the Prince.

"What do you want to do?"

"I will follow Azula and take the horse." the scarred bender frowned before continuing. "You will follow the other tracks. I didn't see them when I first spotted Azula, so we don't know what to expect."

Solus nodded, and turned down the path the two mongoose lizards had taken between the lofty pines. His pace was swift, a constant jog pounding the uneven turf as he followed the large tracks. Kuzon swooped down, flying low over the ground beside him and the two continued.

_They can't have gotten very far._ Solus thought, just as he crested a small ridge and beheld a sight that proved his suspicions correct. Two vaguely familiar looking red-clad women were attacking two even more familiar looking blue-clad Southern Water Tribe children.

_The Avatar's companions!_ the firebender was surprised to see them again, having not encountered them in a matter of months. _So that is where the fur is from…_ he thought as the massive flying bison, the one that the three fugitives had traveled with, bellowed from the opposite riverbank.

The lone bender sighed. He realized that he had a very limited range of options as to reaching the other bank of the wide river and the fastest one was not something Solus had very much practice with.

Breathing inward deeply and starting to run towards the river, the young man moved his hands to his sides, palms parallel to the ground and perpendicular to his body. Exhaling deeply as he reached the near bank, still moving swiftly, he channeled his chi downwards from the palm each hand. Torrents of flame leapt from his outstretched hands, catapulting Solus across the wide waters of the slow-moving river.

As he neared the apex of his short-lived flight, the firebender extinguished the flames and silently thanked his teacher.

_I will have to thank Iroh in person later for teaching me how to do that._ he decided as the opposite bank of the river rushed towards him.

Breaking into a roll as he hit the ground, Solus was able to stand swiftly and turn to face the still-engaged combatants as the bison let loose a massive blast of air, throwing the two Fire Nation women into the lazily moving water.

Moving swiftly towards the two seemingly incapacitated Southern Water Tribe members, the sword-bearing bender raised his hands in a gesture of peace.

"Oh no, not you again!" shouted the girl, her hands stuck with what appeared to be small knives to the trunk of a large tree.

"Not looking for trouble, just passing through." Solus' reply was non confrontal, his hands still raised in the air. "Following the other two. Not you."

The Water Tribe warrior shouted out from his prone position, apparently incapable of movement.

"Oh yeah? If you aren't, then help us!"

"I, uh, er-" the young bender stammered, before sighing and lowering his arms. "Okay then."

He moved towards the girl, giving a bemused look to the stunned boy who still lay on the ground. Reaching the tree where the waterbender was stuck, the firebender pulled the small knives from the tree, marveling at how familiar they seemed to him.

As the Water Tribe bender he had just freed from the tree stared at him warily, the Fire Nation youth put the small weapons into his pocket, before resuming his jog after the two women who had been washed down the river.

* * *

As he neared the area where the two oddly familiar looking red wearing people had pulled themselves ashore, he froze as their faces finally came into view.

"Ty Lee!? Mai!?" Solus narrowed his eyes, suspecting deception. It had been years since he had seen the two, not since Zuko had been banished from the Fire Nation.

The figures on the riverbank looked up in surprise, not expecting to hear their names spoken in such a foreign land.

"Solus?" the girl with the longer, singularly braided hair replied in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"Why would _anyone _want to be here?" the other girl replied, in a voice that clearly relayed her feelings about the Earth Kingdom.

Solus sat near them, frowning as Kuzon soared to a nearby pine tree, perched on the end of one of it's many boughs.

"I could ask you two the same, Ty Lee." he replied evenly, still suspicious of the situation.

"Princess Azula asked us to help her." Ty Lee answered cheerily, her usual demeanor present despite their obvious defeat. "To find her Uncle. I don't think she mentioned you though, Solus. I thought you were traveling with Prince Zuko?"

"I am, though I dont't think you are going in the right direction to find General Iroh." he said, saying little of his affiliation with the Prince. "Did you have a run in with our friend the Avatar?" the firebender asked, beginning to relax slightly as the two did not appear to have any desire to attack him.

"She decided to follow him when we left Omashu." Mai was the one to speak now, her tone sour. "Those two were hardly a challenge, and Azula decided to follow the Avatar."

"That reminds me, Mai." the young bender reached into one of his pockets, tossing the knives lightly to the unhappy knifethrower. "I think these belong to you."

When his childhood friend only nodded, Solus turned to face Ty Lee and smiled ruefully.

"Sorry, I don't have any knives for you." he said dryly.

The acrobat stared at Solus briefly before laughing. The three Fire Nation adolescents then stood in unison, watching as the sun began to dip below the green, forested horizon. In the tall pine trees near the lazily flowing river in the Southern Earth Kingdom, a bird screeched as they began walking back the way all three had come.

* * *

_**After Note: That was of a pretty average length. I think that will likely be the norm for most of the chapters I publish, at least for book two, and I like the approximately four page length that this one is. This chapter took longer than I expected to actually write out, which I think is because I need time to get back into the swing of things. Like I said, however, there should be a fair amount of chapters published in the next week or so, and this is only a taste of what is to come. So, I hoped you liked the chapter, and if so, that you consider leaving a favorite, a review, or a subscription!**_


	15. Chapter 14

_**Author's Note: I am planning on releasing this chapter by Tuesday. It will likely be about as long as the last chapter, though it will take fewer elements from the existing plot of A:TLA. I should have more than enough time to write in the coming days, so the rate of a chapter every three or so days will likely continue, unless if something comes up that requires my attention. So, now, on to the chapter! I hope you enjoy it!**_

* * *

Solus sat around a small fire with Ty Lee and Mai. It was night, and the three childhood friends were camped out in a forest near the river, conversing quietly. They had just eaten a meal of cold rations supplemented with fish caught in the river by the young firebender and his hawk, who had retired to a tree to eat his own share of the day's catch later. The night was dark, only a sliver of moon peeking out from one of many wispy clouds that streaked across the starry sky.

Camping out instead of returning to their respective groups had not been a subject of much debate, despite the trio's obligations. Though Mai had no desire to remain in the wilderness, as she had made obvious many times over, she had no desire to return to the tank either. Ty Lee and Solus had both agreed that staying and allowing the girls' sodden clothes to dry instead of walking through the cold night was preferable and the two also had no reservations against regaling the others of their stories of travel and adventure.

"So, it seems that you two had little more success against the Avatar's friends that Zuko and I did." the firebender said, sitting with his back against a massive pine tree, causing Ty Lee to giggle quietly.

"You know that isn't true." the acrobat responded, tucking her knees up against her chest. "We wouldn't have had any trouble, but that giant fluffy creature _had _to be there."

"If you plan on continuing your pursuit of the Avatar, I think you are out of luck there." Solus chuckled, remembering Zuko's own quest for the young airbender. "That 'giant fluffy creature' is the Avatar's flying bison and it carries them everywhere they go."

"Oh joy." Mai muttered, "Something else to make my life miserable in this place."

Ignoring her friend's gloominess, Ty Lee turned to the bender, giving him a quizzical look.

"I knew that you and Zuko were off searching for the Avatar, but how did you end up here?" she asked innocently, causing Solus to frown.

"It's a pretty long story," he answered evasively. "Are you sure you want to hear the entire thing?"

"Of course we do!" the more positive of the two girls replied. "Besides, we have all night!"

The firebender shrugged, resigning himself to telling the story, as smoke wafted up from the small fire the they all sat circled around.

"As you both know, I accompanied Prince Zuko and General Iroh when the Prince was banished." he began slowly, before continuing the tale. "We traveled for three solid years, on Zuko's warship, searching all over the globe for the Avatar, on every continent except the Fire Nation. Eventually, however, a couple of months ago, we finally found him in a small village in the Southern Water Tribe…"

As the story continued, Solus was pleased to see a wide variety of reactions to the tale from Ty Lee, ranging from curiosity to shock and he continued speaking as the night went on. He spoke of their various adventures across the Earth Kingdom and eventually of Zhao's betrayal, which elicited a gasp from the acrobat sitting across the fire from him and even a raised eyebrow from her aloof friend. The battle at the Northern Water Tribe capital was described in vivid detail, and the storyteller told his companions of the military efficiency and eventual demise of the Admiral. Still the story continued, and he spoke of the raft on which they had escaped the Water Tribe and the meeting with Azula again for the first time in years. Eventually, he told of his journey following Zuko across the Earth Kingdom countryside. When he got to the point of his arrival in the small village where he had fought the Fire Nation soldiers, he paused.

"What happened in the village, Solus?" Ty Lee asked, curious as to what gave her friend reason to stop.

"Nothing." the firebender replied too quickly, before continuing in a more stiff manner, "the village isn't relevant."

Realizing the delicacy of the subject, she did not press the question, instead prompting him to continue with a mildly impatient gesture, though she made a note to broach the subject later, perhaps when whatever happened was less recent.

"Well, I eventually caught up to Zuko, who was following your tank." he said, still in a more serious manner than his previous light-hearted tone. "We split up in the clearing where you left it, and here I am."

"So we really should be chasing you, shouldn't we?" the acrobat teased, in an attempt to cheer her friend up.

"Probably. But if her Royal Highness did not give any direct orders, I don't see why you should." Solus gave a small smile, attempting to banish any thoughts of the previous evening's incident from his head and failing miserably.

"Well, we should probably get some sleep. Lot of walking to do tomorrow, particularly after our poor lizards got washed down the river." Ty Lee yawned, raising her arms high above her head. Solus only stared into the fire as his conflicted thoughts destroyed any chance of sleep.

"I will take first watch." he said, and then briefly looked up from the fire. "If you need a bedroll, I won't be using mine."

"That won't be necessary" she replied cheerily, lying down on the pine needles. "Wake me up in a couple of hours!"

Solus only nodded in response, still staring pensively into the leaping flames. They were mesmerizing, dancing as though possessed, and he found himself almost incapable of taking his eyes off of the fire. Figures appeared there, tiny but recognizable, a recollection of his past. He could see himself leaving home, bidding his parents farewell and turning to walk down the long path that snaked down the hill from their house. He saw his journey on Zuko's ship, of training and sparring, and their eventual discovery of the Avatar.

Still the apparitions persisted, though they now took the form of the various faces of those he knew well. There was Zuko's scarred visage, and Iroh's calm smile. His father's frowning glare and his mother's stern mask. A laughing, smiling, comforting face looked up from the fire at him, unexpected by Solus but not surprising, though it only lasted a second before the fire morphed into another shape, far removed from those previous. It was a dragon, initially crouching before rearing up as though to spew flame and smoke, head lifted proudly and courageously. The shape grew as though facing off against the looming shadows that threatened to overcome the blaze. Eventually, the shape shifted once again, albeit more slowly this time.

It almost looked as though the fire was forming a new face, though larger and more defined than all of the previous ones. It eventually took the shape of the tall man that he had killed in the small village a day before, with an accusing glare plastered across the bright orange mask. Blood drained from the young firebender's face, yet he still found himself unable to look away from the angry, ethereal mask that stared right back at him.

He was brought violently out of his trance by the screech of a bird. He tore his eyes away from the fire, looking around the shadowy trees encircling their camp. The shadows obscured much of the surrounding area, but the bender still felt threatened, as if subconsciously recognizing the presence of some unseen foe.

_That didn't sound like any kind of night bird I have heard before._ Solus realized, just as he received a blow to the head that knocked him out cold almost instantaneously.

Solus opened his eyes, peering groggily at his surroundings. The chamber he found himself in was dim, with the little light present in the room issuing from small, cylindrical holes that tunneled upwards through what appeared to be solid rock. The fact that the light itself was a pale, milky color gave him all the indication he needed of the time, though there were few other features in the room with the exception of a hunched figure that sat against the wall a couple of meters away from him.

The featureless cell was completely square, and there were no distinguishing features, just the other figure and the rope that bound the hands and feet of both occupants. The firebender could hear distant voices from the other side of the wall he sat now against, and was just barely able to make out what the louder of the voices was saying.

"Found them in the woods…" the male speaker paused, obviously one side of an only partly audible conversation. "One of them escaped… neither are benders… took his sword…"

At this last part of the conversation, Solus perked up. Their presumably Earthbending assailants had assumed he was a non-bender due to the presence of his sword, and had bound him accordingly. Though his movement was limited, the bound man was able to create a small jet of flames, that cut through the thick fiber rope like a hot knife through butter.

As the last of the smoking bonds fell to the floor, the captured bender was able to stand from his uncomfortable position and stretched luxuriously. Looking up through one of the holes that dotted the ceiling, he was able to see the faraway sky, and surmised that they were being held somewhere underground, perhaps in the mountains he had passed through the previous day.

Turning his attention to his fellow prisoner, and giving the person a closer look, he was mildly surprised to find Ty Lee, who was bound, gagged, and asleep despite the obviously uncomfortable position.

_Odd. _Thought Solus, as he moved to cut her ropes. _I would have thought that Ty Lee of all people would be able to escape. They must have taken us both by surprise._

He knelt and shook her gently, attempting to avoid making any noise that would alert their captors, and watched as the acrobat's eyes fluttered open and looked around in confusion before settling on him. The skilled firebender quietly lifted a solitary finger up to his lips, signalling her to be silent, before moving to cut through the ropes at her hands and feet before eventually pulling the cloth gag from her face.

"Are you okay?." she asked concernedly, indicating the massive discolored bruise that had formed where he had been struck earlier. "That looks like quite the nasty bruise."

"I am fine, just a bit of a headache. We need to get out of here." he whispered as he stood and took Ty Lee's hand, gently lifting her to her feet. "Do you know where we entered the room from?"

"They earthbended a portion of that wall open." she replied, indicating the mentioned wall. "That was a couple of hours ago."

"Right, I think I have a plan." Solus moved towards the wall, his hands held out in a combat stance. "Get their attention somehow, so they open the door. Then we can push through, if we can keep them from opening it again."

The orange clad girl only nodded and moved beside the opening she had spoken of before shouting out "HELP!" at the top of her lungs, causing Solus to flinch at the loud noise in the confined space. It wasn't long before voices could be heard talking inquisitively on the other side of the stone doorway.

As soon as the thick stone slid aside, the bender shot a concentrated stream of fire into the opening, blasting back the Earth Kingdom soldier that had made the entrance. Ending the attack in order to allow his friend to move through and engage the soldiers, the escaping prisoner followed swiftly behind her, his hands at the ready.

Looking around quickly at his new surroundings, he found himself in a wider, more natural cave, with obvious indications that their captors were traveling and not permanently staying in the firelit cavern.

_This looks more natural than our cell. _he thought, as he moved towards the earthbenders. _They must have needed a temporary area to hold us in. They must have been planning on bringing us with them. To Ba Sing Se, perhaps?_

Solus faced the remaining seven soldiers, three already incapacitated by Ty Lee's adept chi-blocking skills. Ducking underneath a hurled rock, the escaping firebender let loose three swift bolts of fire from his fists, before following the attack with a scything kick that caused a wave of fire to throw his target against a nearby stalagmite. Before long, all ten of the Earth Kingdom soldiers were rendered either unconscious or incapable of moving, and the two were able to make their escape from the cave after a brief search for Solus' sword and gear.

They ran from the mouth of the cave, which opened out into the foothills below the mountains. They ran through valley and glen, circumvented clearing and hilltop, and eventually Kuzon joined them, swooping down from on high to fly behind the fleeing pair. They ran until the sun rose, the great fiery orb peaking over the mountainous crags behind them. It was only then that they stopped, in a grassy meadow interspersed with small white flowers. They collapsed on the side of a small hillock, and took deep breaths, feeling quite winded.

Eventually, Solus broke the silence, asking the question that had been on his mind since he first realized that she had been the one captured with him.

"Ty Lee?" he began slowly. "How did you, of all people, end up getting captured if they were only able to surprise me?"

She hesitated, as though thinking how to answer the question. He lifted his head, looking over to see why such a seemingly simple question had given his friend such pause.

"I didn't run away."

The reply was simple, but it caught the firebender off guard.

"What do you mean you didn't run away?" he asked, confused. "I heard those men say something about Mai getting away, why didn't you follow her?"

"Because I didn't _want_ to run away, silly!" she said, laughing at the confusion on Solus' face. "What kind of person would I be if I abandoned you to those soldiers?"

"An assuredly less captive person." he answered dryly. "Without having to deal with the whole being tied up and imprisoned by the enemy bit." he stopped, adopting a more serious and angry tone before continuing. "You could have ended up dead or worse! You know very well what soldiers are capable of!" he ranted exasperatedly, continuing to increase in volume. " Why would you risk that? Why would you fight them if it meant that you could be hurt, just for me?"

"You are my friend, Solus." she replied sternly, in a far more tranquil manner than he. "I don't desert my friends."

"So you tried to keep them from capturing me." Solus realized aloud, calming considerably. "I did not think I was that worth the trouble."

"Of course you are!" Ty Lee interrupted. "You are one of the only people who treat me like a human being, instead of a complete idiot. That makes you worth a lot more than you think."

"If you say so." the firebender gave a small, slightly guilty smile, recalling the burning face in the fire. _I wouldn't be so sure._ "At least we escaped."

"At least we escaped." the chi-blocking acrobat agreed, and the two sat in comfortable silence for some time. The grass rippled slowly as the breeze tugged at a thousand tiny green blades and the white flowers swayed, like dancers dancing upon a sea of green. Birds chirped from the distant trees, and the sun climbed ever higher, illuminating all below it like some sort of benevolent god. Kuzon hunted, searching for a meal among the field mice and meadow voles that inhabited the hills around them.

Eventually, Ty Lee stood and sighed, looking out towards the forest before them and the desert beyond that.

"It's been interesting, but I suppose I should probably go find Azula and Mai." she broke the silence, looking about for any sign of her companions. "I wonder where they are."

Solus stood next to her looking at the river they had camped at the night before. His eyes followed the path he had taken before, eventually spotting a black, metal object peeking through the trees.

"There." he pointed at the tank, and she saw where he indicated and nodded. "That must be them."

"I suppose I should get going." the former circus performer said with a tinge of regret. "Goodbye, Solus."

With that, she turned and embraced him for some time, before turning around and running through the meadow towards her destination. Solus only raised an eyebrow, surprised at the warmth of the hug, and was reminded of the dragon he had seen in the fire last night, growing and being influenced by those around it. He whistled for Kuzon, indicating for the bird to lead the way to his own traveling companions. As the lone firebender walked through the meadow, his attention was drawn by a single plant that stood out from the rest.

A red fire lily plant swayed lazily in the wind, standing out of the crowd of smaller, plainer, white flowers that covered the field. It was not native to the Earth Kingdom, and indeed a rare sight in these lands. He paused before it, bending down and smelling one of the large red blossoms, and after a moment of consideration, picked only one of the vibrant red blooms so as to allow the plant to spread.

He continued his walk, increasing his pace as he followed his messenger hawk, turning the flower thoughtfully as he went. With a small smile, Solus placed the beautiful crimson blossom in his pocket as he walked out of the meadow, ever closer to his friends.

_**After Note: That actually went on a bit longer than I expected it to. I spent a good four hours writing this chapter, which is likely a result of me having more time on my hands, so I suppose that is good news for everyone who is reading. Rest assured, there will be a return to the point of view of the narrator (well, the meta-narrator. The narrator that isn't me, that is) in the near future, I won't leave that part of the story completely ignored. In other news, I recently updated my author page, so if you are interested in that it may warrant a look. Also, a bit of a subplot is developing here, which I won't mention explicitly but you may or may not have noticed it. That will definitely continue, though it may not be particularly obvious, so more stuff to look forward to! So, if you liked the chapter, leave a review, a subscribe, or a favorite (if you haven't already) and you can look forward to the next one in three or so days.**_


	16. Chapter 15

_**Author's Note: This may end up as two episodes in one chapter. I am not entirely sure, it really just depends on how long I take on the first section. This one will also likely be a bit slower paced, with a greater focus on dialogue than action. I hope you like it!**_

It was late in the morning when Solus finally reached the abandoned building where his friends were staying. He had walked for hours, mostly through the foothills that spread out at the foot of the mountains, following Kuzon as the bird soared slowly over the vast landscape. His surroundings had grown steadily more and more arid, with pines being replaced by mesquite trees, and fields that were eventually replaced by tufts of tough scrub grass and spiny bushes.

The house that Iroh and Zuko were staying at was decrepit, the majority of one wall missing and patches of the other walls and roof gone, ravaged by time and the harsh environment. As he had neared the large opening, Kuzon perched on one of the rafters, screeching at the Prince who was kneeling below, occupied by some other task.

Solus entered the room and nodded wordlessly to his friend, who he could now see was tending to a pot of tea and slumped exhaustedly against one of the sturdier looking walls. The interior of the building did not appear to be any less dilapidated than the outside, with cracks running up and down the walls and rotting wooden beams that attempted to support the remnant of what had once been a sloped wooden roof. Near one of the larger, more window-like openings, Iroh lay on his back, his left arm and much of his upper body wrapped in white bandages. Eventually, the tired firebender broke the silence.

"What happened?" he asked simply.

"I caught up to Azula." Zuko spoke, his voice quiet. "She had cornered the Avatar. We fought. All three of us. Eventually, his friends caught up, and Uncle too, and we had her trapped. She attacked him," the scarred firebender gestured to the wounded man, "and escaped. I brought him here." the Prince paused, and then looked up from the water he was boiling, speaking in an accusatory manner. "Where were you ?"

"I followed those tracks." Solus spoke slowly, attempting to placate his friend. "They went for quite a distance and I eventually caught up with the people who made them. Imagine my surprise when I found Mai and Ty Lee fighting the two Water Tribe kids who travel with the Avatar."

"Mai and Ty Lee!?" Zuko replied, the incredulity apparent in his voice. "As in, Azula's friends? The same Mai that-" he interrupted himself, much to the amusement of his friend, who chuckled in response before continuing.

"Yes, Zuko _that_ Mai. And Ty Lee. By the time I reached them it was already sunset, and I was very exhausted. We ended up making camp, talked, nothing much. Apparently they are here to hunt down you and the General, as well as the Avatar, but there was no mention of my position in the conflict, so I stayed quiet." the young bender paused, before apologizing. "I am sorry that I did not come as soon as I could. I was incredibly tired, and figured that I could find your camp the next morning. That plan went downhill, because we were ambushed by a group of Earth Kingdom soldiers, Ty Lee and I were captured, and they took us to a sort of makeshift prison in the mountains. We escaped earlier this morning, and I came as quickly as I could." he finished, carefully omitting his sojourn in the meadow with Ty Lee.

It was then that Iroh stirred slightly and groaned, shifting as the Prince moved to his side, a concerned look on the scarred boy's face. When the old man's eyes opened, Zuko spoke.

"Uncle. You were unconscious. Azula did this to you. It was a surprise attack."

The Dragon of the West sat up, grunting in pain, before settling against the pillow he had slept on.

"Somehow that's not so surprising." replied the bearded firebender, his usual wit obviously unchanging in the presence of pain.

"I hope I made it the way you like it." said his nephew, passing a steaming cup of what Solus could now tell was tea to the older man, who drank gratefully.

"Good." Iroh stated, though the look on his face said otherwise. Even so, he took another sip and drained the rest of the cup before continuing. "That was very… bracing."

"So Uncle. I have been thinking," began Zuko, pouring himself his own cup of tea. "It's only a matter of time before I run into Azula again. I'm going to need to know more advanced firebending if I want to stand a _chance _against her."

"I wouldn't mind some more advanced training of my own, as well." interjected Solus, before allowing his friend to continue.

"I know what you're gonna say, she's my sister and I should be trying to get along with her." the Prince preempted, but he was interrupted before he could continue.

"No, she's crazy and she needs to go down." Iroh said bluntly, before standing with a groan and a sigh. "It is time to resume your training." he said, now addressing both of the two young firebenders, moving to sit cross legged around the fire that his nephew had used to boil the tea, and the other two joined him.

"Lightning is a pure expression of firebending, without aggression." he began, speaking slowly and firmly. "It is not fueled by rage or emotion the way other firebending is. Some call lightning the cold blooded fire."

Solus nodded. He had heard this before, but had never received any in depth training on the subject. It was considered dangerous and difficult to control, which of course meant that very few benders learned how to lightningbend.

"It is precise and deadly, like Azula." the General continued, pouring himself yet another cup of tea as he lectured. "To perform the technique requires peace of mind"

"I see. That's why we are drinking tea." Zuko said wondrously. "To calm the mind."

"Oh yeah, good point." Iroh smiled, glad that this pot of tea could provide an unintended benefit. "I mean, yes." he corrected, assuming a more mystical tone. "Now we must go somewhere with more space."

Solus followed his friend and their teacher out of the abandoned house, the three gathering at the top of a sheer cliff, overlooking a valley with a small, abandoned town nestled at the bottom of the basin.

"There is energy all around us." the firebending master began again, gesticulating smoothly to emphasize his words. "The energy is both yin, and yang. Positive energy and negative energy and only a select few firebenders can separate these energies. This creates an imbalance. The energy want to restore balance, and in the moment the positive and negative energy comes crashing back together, you provide release and guidance, creating lightning."

Iroh gestured for Solus and Zuko to move away, before moving his hands in a smooth and flowing motion, creating sparks and energy that the old man guided, before eventually releasing in a massive lightning bolt.

"I am ready to try it!" shouted Zuko excitedly, awed by the display of power.

"I suppose I could give it a try." Solus said, having maintained silence up until this point. Though he did not show it as obviously as his friend had, the lightning impressed him greatly, and he was eager to attempt to reproduce the move.

"Remember, once you separate the energy, you do not command it. You are simply it's humble guide, and you must breathe first." the wise General warned.

The Prince inhaled deeply, before mimicking the moves that his Uncle had just gone through. However, this time there was no build-up of sparks, no visible energy, and when the motion was completed, there was an explosion and he was hurled backwards. When the other young firebender attempted to do the same, he too experienced similar results, though the detonation was even larger this time, singing hair and clothing as it threw him back with great force.

The two benders tried again and again, but could only yield the same results. Small fires cropped up where the few plants peaked up through the baked earth, which was growing ever more charred by the moment. Eventually, Zuko stopped and shouted out in frustration.

"Why can't I do it? Instead of lightning it just keeps exploding in my face, like everything _always_ does!"

"I was afraid this might happen." Iroh sighed, his tone regretful as he walked towards them from the position he had assumed sitting below a dead tree. "You will not be able to master lightning until you have dealt with the turmoil inside you. The same goes for you, Solus."

"What turmoil!?" shouted the scarred young bender.

"Zuko," the older man responded placatingly, "You must let go of your feelings of shame if you want your anger to go away." he paused, before giving the Solus a sidelong glance. "Though I think for you it is more than just shame. Perhaps a matter of uncertainty, or guilt."

The addressed firebender froze, unsure of what to say. The statement was accurate, he knew, and was at once reminded of the image he had seen in the fire, of a dragon rising up from a crouched position to stand proudly in the face of adversity. Despite this he hoped dearly that his teacher would not press the subject and force him to reveal reasons for uncertainty and guilt, as he had not even told his friend the entire story.

"But I don't feel any shame at all!" retorted Zuko, defiant in his declaration. "I'm as proud as ever!"

"Prince Zuko, pride is not the opposite of shame, but it's source. True humility is the only antidote to shame." the Dragon of the West responded sagely, before his nephew gave his own reply.

"Well," the scarred bender sighed, "my life has been nothing _but_ humbling lately."

"I have another idea." stated Iroh, in another attempt to calm his nephew. "I will teach you a firebending move that even Azula doesn't know, because I made it up myself!"

"I certainly wouldn't mind that." Solus shrugged, attempting to forget his previous hesitation.

Again he sat next to his scarred friend and their teacher searched around for a moment before returning with a large stick, using it to make markings in the dust and talking as he drew.

"Fire is the element of power, and the people of the Fire Nation have desire, will, and the energy that drives them to achieve what they want " the General said, making the symbol for fire in front of them. "Earth is the element of substance. The people of the Earth Kingdom are diverse and strong, they are persistent and enduring." he next drew the earth symbol, and made a new figure for every element he spoke of. "Air is the element of freedom. The Air Nomads detached themselves from worldly concerns and found peace and freedom. Also they apparently had pretty good senses of humor!" the old man gested, receiving only a raised eyebrow from one pupil and a blank stare from the other. Becoming more serious, he resumed his lecture. "Water is the element of change, and the people of the Water Tribe are capable of adapting to many things. They have a deep sense of community and love that holds them together through everything."

"Why are you telling us these things?" Zuko questioned, curious as to the point of the discussion.

"It is important to draw wisdom from many different places." Iroh cautioned, before drawing lines between the different symbols. "If we take it from only one place, it becomes rigid and stale. Understanding others, the other elements, and the other nations, will help you become whole."

"All of this four elements talk is sounding like Avatar stuff." the Prince said, and Solus nodded in agreement.

"It is the combination of four elements in one person that makes the Avatar so powerful." declared Iroh. "But it can make you more powerful too! You see, the technique I am about to teach you is one I learned by studying the waterbenders."

They stood, and the old firebending master began making smooth, wavelike movements with his arms.

"Waterbenders deal with the flow of energy. A waterbender lets their defense become their offense, turning their opponent's energy against them." Iroh continued as both his pupils copied the fluid movements. "I learned a way to do this with lightning."

"You can teach me to redirect lightning?" Zuko asked wondrously, already aware of the potential uses for this skill.

"It would certainly be useful, given the fact that your crazy sister seems to enjoy lightningbending quite a bit." Solus mirrored his friend's thoughts dryly, still mimicking the movements of their teacher, who nodded.

"If you let the energy in your own body flow, the lightning will follow it." he said, and made the motions he spoke of as he mentioned them. "You must create a pathway from your fingertips up your arm to your shoulder, then down into your stomach. The stomach is the source of energy in your body, and it is called the sea of chi. Only in my case," he chuckled, "it is more like a vast ocean."

Resuming a more serious tone, Iroh continued.

"From the stomach, you direct it up again and out the other arm. The stomach detail is critical, you must not let the lightning pass through your heart, or the damage could be deadly. You may wish to try a physical motion, to get a feel for the pathway's flow, like this."

The teacher now demonstrated, and again his two students copied the move while he continued.

"Now, are you focusing your energy? Can you feel your own chi flowing in, down, up, and out?" he asked.

"I think so." Zuko answered, though he sounded unsure.

Solus only nodded, not feeling the need to speak. He had rarely spoken at all today, though this was likely for the best.

"Come on, you've got to feel the flow." the General smiled, and before long, he spoke again. "Excellent! You've got it!"

"Great!" said the Prince excitedly. "I'm ready to try with real lightning!"

"What are you crazy?" his Uncle reprimanded, taking on a grave tone of voice. "Lightning is very dangerous."

"I thought that was the point. You teaching me how to protect myself from it?"

"Yeah but I'm not going to shoot lightning at you!" Iroh replied, sounding shocked that his young nephew would even suggest the idea. "If you're lucky you will never have to use this technique _at all_."

"Well if you won't help me, I'll find my _own _lightning." declared the prince ominously as storm clouds gathered on the horizon, before jumping onto the ostrich horse and riding off towards the black thunderheads.

Solus looked inquisitively at the older man, silently asking if he should pursue his friend. The General sighed, shaking his head and speaking sadly to his young pupil.

"I think this is something that Zuko had best experience alone."

The young firebender nodded, and then followed his master back into the the dilapidated house, where they sat around the fire in the center and made tea. All was silent for a time before the wise elder firebender spoke, addressing his companion.

"I assume from your reaction to my talk of internal turmoil that you know exactly what I am talking about." the old man began, pouring a cup of tea for each of them. "Also that you do not have any great desire to talk about it."

"Not really." replied Solus, looking down at his teacup.

"Then I hope you realize that it is necessary for you to talk about what trouble you, in order to come to terms with whatever it is." Iroh declared sternly, urging his pupil to speak of what troubled him so.

For a long time, the young firebender said nothing, only staring contemplatively into his teacup. It seemed as though the ripples in the tea were incredibly fascinating to him, though he was just composing his thoughts and what he planned on saying.

"I killed a man." the troubled bender blurted out suddenly. "Two days ago. While I was following Zuko, in one of the small Earth Kingdom villages we were passing through. He was a soldier and we fought. He ended up dead."

"Why would an Earth Kingdom soldier attack you, someone who appears to be a harmless member of his own society?"

"He...He wasn't an Earth Kingdom soldier." Solus sighed, covering his face with his hands and rubbing his eyes. "He was Fire Nation. They were attacking the village, planning on taking food and supplies and burning everything else, killing the soldiers and burning or starving the civilians."

"But this was not the first time you have had doubts, or even conflict with the Fire Nation, was it?" Iroh guessed correctly. "Otherwise you would likely not have taken the same course of action."

"No, it wasn't the first time," sighed the young bender miserably. "I have had doubts for some time. When the Fire Lord burned and exiled Zuko, I thought it unfair and cruel, but that was only the beginning. In the village we stopped at, where you and your nephew went off and I bought Kuzon," he was speaking rapidly now, as a flood of pent up thoughts and ideas came rushing out at once. "In the falconer's store there were two Fire Nation soldiers and I fought them because they were extorting the owner and in the village the other day I killed one man but I also fought nine others…" he trailed off, at once relieved and horrified at his outburst. Iroh did not say anything immediately, thinking about what to say before speaking out.

"It is more serious than I thought." he frowned, but not directly at Solus. "You feel guilty about killing someone, shame at the actions of your countrymen, and uncertainty when your ideals conflict with your loyalty to said country and it's actions."

The young firebender nodded, not trusting himself to speak.

"Well," sighed his teacher, "I cannot fix this directly. But you must know that you are not defined by the actions of your fellow man, but by your own thoughts, actions, and ideals. If you forsake these ideals in favor of loyalty, then you will never be free from the shame that haunts you now."

"But what about the man I killed?" the conflicted bender asked. "I let my rage take control of me and someone ended up dead because of it. If rage and anger is the source of firebending, then how can I firebend in good conscience?"

"The man you killed," Iroh spoke slowly, "was killed in defense of the innocent, because you followed your beliefs. As for rage being the source of your abilities, that is not entirely true. There is another source… the original source." the old man paused for a moment, as if remembering something that happened long ago. "When the time is right, you must go to the land of the Sun Warriors. Only there can you learn the true, pure, and original source of firebending."

"How will I know when the time is right?" Solus asked, having calmed significantly.

"When you are no longer plagued by doubt and guilt, then the time will be right. That is the time you will finally be able to lightningbend, and the time when you must journey to the land of the Sun Warriors. You must follow the Way of the Dragon." the General spoke with finality, and the young firebender was reminded yet again of his vision of the dragon in the flames.

_It must have been more significant than I thought._ he decided, staring out through one of the holes in the wall at the black sky behind, just as the first raindrops began to fall on the tiny, solitary dwelling.

_**After Note: Woah, that was a long chapter. I didn't really intend for it to be so long, but there was a ton of stuff happening, both canonically and in my own story. I definitely like how it ended up, and I am also proud that I was able to write so much in such a short amount of time (two days, amounting to about six or so hours. I also had planned to have one of the promised "flash forward" or "narrator POV" sections towards the end, but it ended up way longer than expected and as such I was unable to write any of that in. Next chapter though will definitely have it, and you can expect that on Saturday or Sunday. If you liked this chapter, as always, leave a review, favorite, or subscribe. Thanks for reading!**_


	17. Chapter 16

_**Author's Note: This chapter will likely be shorter than the past two chapters. It may also have slightly faster pacing, and actual combat, unlike the previous chapter. I hope you like it!**_

* * *

It was a couple of days after Zuko had returned from his unscheduled journey when the three firebenders had decided to leave the abandoned cottage behind, making their way through the desert in the general direction of Ba Sing Se. The ostrich horse was trotting at an even pace on the dusty road, with Kuzon flying not far behind and there had been silence among the members of the small group. They had been riding for some time now, through dusty clearings and over grassy hills, the blue sky stretching above them as they passed the occasional tree and cactus flanking the path.

Eventually, the silence was ended by groaning noises issuing from Iroh, as he reacted to some seemingly exaggerated pain. The old General was clutching his stomach and continuing to make loud, distressed noises when the Prince finally spoke.

"Maybe we should make camp." he said, turning his head to speak to his uncle as his hands remained on the reins.

"No, please," the old man gasped, "don't stop just for me."

"You certainly _sound _like you are in enough discomfort to warrant stopping." observed Solus, even as his fellow passenger moaned continuously.

Eventually, Zuko decided that enough was enough and pulled the ostrich horse to a halt, dismounting and allowing his Uncle to dismount. The old man trundled to a nearby rock and sat down, continuing his lamentations in a quieter manner. The other two firebenders had just moved to tend to their horse and their supplies when something caught the attention of the creature, causing it to snap it's head swiftly in the direction of whatever sound it perceived.

Immediately the two young benders crouched, their hands and arms bent in the combat stance they had used so many times. They soon saw rhinos, bearing red-clad riders, circling the three and drawing ever closer until eventually, they stopped and the leader rode slowly forward.

"Colonel Mongke!" Iroh greeted the rider cordially, having stood from his seat. "What a pleasant surprise!"

"If you're surprised we're here then the Dragon of the West has lost a few steps!" grunted the aggressive firebender, who raised his own fists in challenge to the great General. The rest of his rhino-mounted comrades each unsheathed some other weapon of their own, and Solus was interested to notice that the Colonel himself was the only firebender in the group.

"You know these guys?" Zuko asked his Uncle incredulously, his hands still at the ready.

"Sure!" the older man replied cheerily, though there was a hint of danger that few would be able to detect in his voice. "Colonel Mongke and the Rough Rhinos are legendary! Each one is a different kind of weapons specialist. They are also a very capable singing team."

"We're not here to give a concert," the mounted bender cut in disdainfully. "We're here to apprehend fugitives!"

"Would you like some tea first? I'd love some." Iroh was smiling dangerously now, a wily look on his aged face. "How about you Kahchi? I make you as a jasmine man. Am I right?"

"Enough stalling!" rebuked Mongke. "Round them up!"

It was then that the road exploded into chaos. The Dragon of the West immediately dodged the swipe of a flail, using it's rebound to tie two of the Rough Rhinos together, so that when he startled one of the creatures two of the men were incapacitated instantly. At the same time, Zuko and Solus had already engaged the archer, with the latter of the two startling the bowman's rhino, causing it to rear up and allowing the former to disable the man's weapon with a quick bolt of fire to the bowstring.

Meanwhile, the enraged Colonel had already attacked his former superior, focusing a series of blasts on the old man. This distraction allowed the Prince to circle around the creature the man was mounted on, flank from behind and blast Mongke off his rhino, taking him out of the fight in an instant.

While this was occurring, the other firebender had already mounted the ostrich horse. Reins in hand he rode the animal at a swift gallop past his two friends, allowing Iroh and his nephew to mount the creature as it moved by. As they escaped the last of the Rough Rhinos, the explosive specialist, threw some sort of bomb at them, but the effort was fruitless. The trio had already secured their escape.

"It's nice to see old friends." declared the General, looking back as they rode away from the scene of the small skirmish.

"Too bad you don't have any old friends who don't want to attack you." Zuko replied frustratedly, causing his uncle to think.

"Hmmm…. old friends that don't want to attack me…" the old man pondered for a moment, saying nothing, as Solus concentrated on keeping their ostrich horse on the correct path while they rode through the desert.

* * *

Eventually, after following the directions that Iroh gave him, the young firebender was able to lead the group to a small town with a sign outside that read _Misty Palms Oasis._

"This is the place." declared the elder firebender, as he lead them into a seedy looking tavern, eventually picking a booth and sitting down, gesturing for his companions to do the same.

"No one here is gonna help us." Zuko decided after scanning the room. "These people just look like filthy wanderers."

"So do we." responded Iroh, smiling at his nephew, before pointing at a man sitting at a Pai Sho table across the crowded floor. "This is interesting. I think I have found our friend."

"You brought us here to gamble on Pai Sho!?" the Prince asked, his voice laden with accusation.

"I don't think this is a gamble." the old man replied mysteriously, before walking towards the indicated friend.

Solus waited a brief moment before following, noting with curiosity the profound reaction two men sitting across the bar had when his friends stepped into view. Making a note of their green clothing and physical dissimilarity, the young firebender eventually stood and made his way over to the Pai Sho table, watching the proceedings with interest.

"May I have this game?" he heard his teacher ask the equally old man at the table.

"The guest has the first move." responded the seated man, choosing to indirectly answer the question instead of making redundant statements. "I see you favor the White Lotus gambit." he said in response to the General's first move. "Not many still cling to the ancient ways."

"Those who do can always find a friend." Iroh bowed, and the watching two firebenders were immediately made aware that this was more than a simple game of Pai Sho.

"Then let us play." said the man calmly, placing his own piece on the circular board. The two alternated in their placement of pieces, taking each of their turns at an increasingly frantic pace, before finally the figure of a lotus could be seen among the scattered symbols.

"Welcome brother." the old man said, now in a far friendlier manner. "The White Lotus opens wide to those who know her secrets."

"What are you old gasbags talking about?" interrupted Zuko impatiently.

"I always tried to tell you that Pai Sho is more than just a game." responded his Uncle in a far calmer and more mysterious manner.

In the background, Solus could see the two men he had observed previously standing and walking towards the group. He nudged his friend urgently, drawing the other firebender's attention to the two rapidly approaching men, before moving silently behind one of the columns that were scattered around the room in order to flank the two obviously Earth Kingdom men if the need arose.

"I knew it!" shouted the previously seated Pai Sho player. "You two are wanted criminals with a giant bounty on your heads!"

"I thought you said he would help!" the hidden firebender could hear his friend mutter urgently.

"He is. Just watch." came the reply, and Solus now knew what the old man's goal was.

"You think you're going to capture them and collect all of that gold?" asked the man, and whispers of _gold?_ could be heard all around the tavern before multiple shady looking men stood and pulled a wide assortment of weapons from their clothing.

While fighting broke out in the bar, the three firebenders and the old man had already made their escape, creeping out the way they had come with as much swiftness and silence as they could muster. They moved in this manner for some time, before the old man turned into what appeared to be a flower shop and stopped to speak to Iroh reverently.

"It is an honor to welcome such a high-ranking member of the order of the White Lotus." the man declared, shutting the door behind the group. "Being a grandmaster you must know so many secrets."

"Now that you've played Pai Sho, are you gonna do some flower arranging or is someone in this club going to offer some _real_ help?" Zuko broke into the conversation impatiently, even as the old man led the group deeper into the store, though it was closed for the evening.

"You must forgive my nephew, he is not an initiate and has little appreciation for the cryptic arts." the General said apologetically to his newfound friend, as they reached a large wooden door in the back of the room. He knocked on the door and a panel slid open.

"Who knocks at the garden gate?" a voice asked from the other side of the entryway.

"One who has eaten the fruit and tasted it's mysteries." replied the former Dragon of the West and the door opened, though it only allowed in the two elder men.

"I'm afraid it's members only." Iroh had turned and opened the same panel that the previous man had already used to speak with those on the other side. "You two must wait out here."

"I suspect we will be here for some time." sighed Solus, looking around for a place to lie down. "Better get comfortable."

His friend merely sighed, leaning back against one of the many rows of plants and sniffing one of the flowers as the other firebender drifted off to sleep.

* * *

He was awakened by a startled cry from Zuko, who had himself started awake when the massive wooden door opened and his Uncle and the old man exited.

"What's going on?" asked the scarred bender. "Is the club meeting over?"

"Everything is taken care of." replied Iroh, bowing to his friend. "We're heading to Ba Sing Se."

"Ba Sing Se?" asked his nephew incredulously, even as Solus stood from his position on the floor, yawning and rubbing his eyes. "Why would we go to the Earth Kingdom capital?"

"The city is filled with refugees." replied the old man sagely. "No one will notice three more."

"We can hide in plain sight there." added the General, calm as usual. "And it's the safest place in the world from the Fire Nation. Even I couldn't break through to the city."

"Might be an interesting experience." shrugged Solus, before wincing and rubbing his back. "I wouldn't mind sleeping in a real bed, too. It's been weeks."

"I have the passports for our guests!" declared a courier, who had just entered the building. "But there are two men out on the street looking for them!"

The three fugitive firebenders shared a look, before the old man stepped up from behind them and pointed to three adjacent empty pots, obviously prepared for some sort of large plant. They understood immediately, and were able to each fit into one of the massive pots before being covered by a fake flower lid while the courier pulled them on a cart out of the city.

As the cart slowly rumbled out of the small desert oasis, the young firebender inside one of the pots sighed. He had already signaled to his messenger hawk with a low whistle, hoping that it would be enough to convince the creature to follow the courier. It was going to be a long journey to Ba Sing Se, and it would not be made any easier by his cramped hiding place. He was jealous of Kuzon, free to fly anywhere in the vast world, not constrained by the limitations of the ground. A quick peek through one of the breathing holes in the side of the vessel showed Solus that the bird was, thanks to his previously whistled signal, following the cart as it trundled slowly out of the small Earth Kingdom town.

* * *

In the Southern Water tribe palace, the sun had set long ago and the Fire Nation storyteller was beginning to feel quite tired. Pausing his storytelling to stand up and stretch, he turned to his friend and asked if she wished to start again the next evening or continue the tale.

"While I do want to know what happens next, you look like you are going to pass out there. You should probably get some rest." she answered in a concerned tone, watching as the firebender swayed and almost fell, a lack of sleep obviously taking a toll on him.

"You're probably right. I will go to sleep now." he sighed, before giving her his own concerned glance. "Do you need any help of your own?" the exhausted bender asked, before elaborating. "With walking, I mean."

"I should be fine. You go get some sleep." the young Avatar smiled sadly, watching as he exited the room before standing slowly and unsteadily, walking to her own chambers with a much more uneven gait.

_**After Note: I said I was going to write in one of those sections, and what do you know, I did it! This entire chapter was a fair bit less brief than the usual, for which I apologize, but I don't mind the resulting length at all. I figure that I will probably be able to write less in the next week or so, as I will have less time, but I do certainly hope that you all liked this chapter, and if so, that you sub/favorite/review. I plan on publishing the next one by this monday, so you can look forward to that!**_


	18. Chapter 17

_**Author's Note: The last chapter was a bit uninteresting. Not much happened, and it was more of a transitional chapter than a chapter with particularly interesting plot. However, this one should be better, as well as longer, so I hope you all like it!**_

* * *

It was late afternoon in the Southern Water Tribe, and the storyteller and his one-woman audience were gathered in the usual spot, a warm pot of tea settled on the table between them. A casual observer would likely notice that there was something that distracted each of them, with the man giving frequent looks outside the window and his friend looking into her teacup over and over again. Eventually, he was able to quiet his thoughts and speak in a manner that many would believe to be of forced cheer.

"Well, I suppose I should continue the story, shouldn't I?" the Fire Nation man said, before taking a sip of his tea.

"Yes, that would probably be a good idea." the Avatar's face brightened, as if looking forward to the distraction that the tale would provide. The firebender nodded in response, and began to speak.

"Well, Iroh, Zuko, and Solus were on their way to Ba Sing Se, and were lucky enough to get a spot on one of the ferries that took refugees to the city…"

* * *

"Who would have thought that after all these years I would return to the scene of my greatest military disgrace?" Iroh said slowly, before continuing in a more cheery manner. "As a tourist!"

He was staring out across the azure waves from the deck of the ferry, his arms resting on the wooden side, standing next to his nephew and his nephew's friend.

"Look around, we're not tourists. We're refugees." Zuko said sullenly, before taking a sip from the soup bowl he had in front of him and immediately spitting the food out. "Ugh! I'm sick of eating rotten food and sleeping in the dirt. I'm tired of living like this."

"Could be worse." shrugged Solus, watching as Kuzon snatched a fish from the water nearby. "At least they are giving us food. Although, I suppose we would probably be better off trying to fish…"

"Aren't we all." came a voice from their left, apparently ignoring the third incognito firebender's statement. "My name is Jet, and these are my freedom fighters Smellerbee and Longshot."

"Hey." said the smaller of the three so-called freedom fighters, presumably Smellerbee.

"Hello." responded Zuko shortly, turning his back to the group of newcomers.

"Here's the deal." began Jet, oblivious to the scarred bender's apparent desire to avoid speaking to anyone. "I hear the captain is eating like a king while us refugees have to feed off his scraps. Doesn't seem fair, does it?"

"What sort of king is he eating like?" asked Iroh, turning his head curiously.

"The fat happy kind." answered the tall newcomer, causing the old man's stomach to rumble audibly. "You wanna help us… liberate, some food?" he turned now to the Prince, who was staring into his bowl of gruel.

"I'm in." Zuko threw the entire bowl over the edge, before turning and facing the armed Earth Kingdom man.

"Your friend can come too, if he wants." added the dual sword-wielding freedom fighter.

"I suppose it beats fishing." Solus shrugged, though he did not speak of his misgivings with this smooth-talking grass-chewing warrior. _Best watch our backs around this one._ He thought, even as the ferry continued at its ponderous pace across the water and ever closer to the walls of Ba Sing Se.

"Right. We can meet back here at sundown. Come prepared." said Jet, before turning away with his friends and walking back the way they had come.

* * *

A few hours later, the sun had set and the moon now shone brightly over the waters of the lake. Solus, Zuko, Jet, and Smellerbee snuck quietly up onto the upper levels of the ship, each armed with something different. Solus had his sword, Zuko had his twin swords, Jet a pair of hook blades, and Smellerbee a small, curved dagger.

When they reached the upper deck, the hook blade wielding man pried the door to the captain's private kitchen open, and three of the four entered the room, with the fourth, the young dagger carrying girl, stood outside and watched for the guard. Inside the kitchen, each picked up a different food, all of which was nicely arranged following the evening meal that had occured hours before, and loaded them into sacks.

"Guard's coming!" came a whispered warning from outside, and the three nodded to each other, moving to the railing that lined the outside of the cabin. A rope was there, embedded in the wood by an arrow shot by the expert bowman Longshot, and they slid the food down before following quickly after it.

When they reached the lowest deck, the three swordsmen passed out the food to all of the other refugees, before eventually settling back near the side of the boat with Iroh, sitting down for a meal.

After the group ate silently for some time, the General broke the silence, having almost finished his meal, and attempted to make conversation.

"So, Smellerbee. That's an unusual name for a young man." he began in a friendly manner.

"Maybe it's because I'm not a man, I'm a girl!" she responded vehemently, before striding purposefully off down the deck.

"Oh, now I see! It's a beautiful name for a lovely girl!" called the old man apologetically, even as Longshot strode after her to have a quiet conversation on the far side of the boat. The three fugitives went back to their food, quietly eating until Jet arrived, crouching down nearby and beginning to speak.

"From what I heard, people eat like this every night in Ba Sing Se." the young warrior said, obviously proud of his work. "I can't wait to set my eyes on that giant wall."

"It is a magnificent sight." Iroh recalled, remembering bygone days of fire and siege.

"So you've been there before?" asked the idealistic swordsman.

"Once. When I was a…" the General paused, as though thinking for the appropriate words. "Different man."

"I've done some things in my past that I'm not proud of." stated Jet, his legs crossed and his hands resting on his knees. "But that's why I'm going to Ba Sing Se. For a new beginning. A second chance."

"That is very noble of you." said the old man seriously, turning to look at both Zuko and Solus in turn, though neither spoke. "I believe people can change their lives if they want to. I believe in second chances."

* * *

The next morning, Zuko and Solus were standing silently next to each other at the prow of the ferry as it cut through the mist laden waters of the lake. They said nothing, only watching the endlessly shifting waves that swayed across the surface of the water, with the latter of the two occasionally looking up at Kuzon, who circled lazily among the low clouds.

"You know, as soon as I saw your scar I knew exactly who you were." a voice said from behind them, and the two disguised Fire Nation adolescents were immediately on guard, with Solus placing a cautions hand on the hilt of his sword and Zuko tensing up, prepared in case they were attacked. "You two are outcasts, like me. And us outcasts have to stick together. We have to watch each other's backs, because no one else will."

"I've realized lately that being on your own isn't always the best path." replied Zuko, his gaze never wavering from the horizon.

"Not the best, but certainly the loneliest." sighed his friend, his hand leaving the hilt of his sword. He still was unsure of what to make of Jet, though he realized that the young man did not intend to attack them. Not now, not here, at least.

The three young men were again silent, as the ferry slowly moved towards the lonely wooden pier that jutted out of the cliffside, the tall forlorn walls looming over the comparatively tiny boat. When it slowed, pulled to the side of the dock, Solus gave a brisk nod to the Earth Kingdom swordsman and strode to find Iroh with Zuko, who was with what little possessions they owned.

* * *

Hours later, the three incognito Fire Nation men were standing at the front of the line of the ticket gate for the city's main monorail station. They had waited in the line for some time, and had just reached the front, handing each of their passports to the stern lady behind the booth in front of them.

"So, Mr. Lee, Mr. Solus, and Mr... Mushi, is it?" asked the lady, mispronouncing the old man's recently acquired name.

"It's pronounced Moo-shi," he corrected, drawing the ire of the woman behind the desk.

"You telling me how to do my job?" she asked, in a borderline hostile manner, glaring over the stone countertop.

"No, no," he replied, stepping towards the woman, "but may I just say you are like a flower in bloom. Your beauty is intoxicating."

"You're pretty easy on the eyes yourself, handsome." responded the woman flirtatiously, winking as she spoke, before making a noise that imitated that of a cat growling and stamping their passports. "Welcome to Ba Sing Se."

"I'm gonna forget I saw that." said the Prince angrily, snatching his passport back from his Uncle.

"I'm gonna _try _to forget I saw that." joked Solus, as he followed his friends through the gate to the monorail station. They walked for a bit, looking at the signs that showed the timetables before finding a seat at the base of one of the columns that dotted the room. The circular rock loomed upwards, supporting the stone building. The young firebender looked around wondrously, amazed to see that almost everything in the station was stone, from the column that he now leaned against to the rails that ran through it's center. It seemed that a city full of earthbenders would have no problem when it came to architecture, or building materials for that matter.

His musings were interrupted by Jet, who sat down next to Zuko and began speaking in a friendly tone.

"So, you guys got plans once you're inside the city?" he asked, crossing his arms and leaning back against the stone support.

"Get your hot tea here!" called a voice from their right. "Finest tea in Ba Sing Se!"

"Ooh, jasmine please!" called out Iroh, waving his hand to get the vendor's attention.

Upon being served, the older man took a slow sip of the drink and immediately spat it out. "Coldest tea in Ba Sing Se is more like it!" he said angrily, looking after the receding tea vendor. "What a disgrace!"

"Hey, can I talk to you for a second?" asked Jet, initially speaking to the scarred firebender then turning to his friend. "You too, Solus."

The two disguised benders gave each other a look, with the former giving a small sigh, before they stood to follow the tall warrior, who spoke once they were far enough away from Iroh.

"We have a much better chance of making it in the city if we stick together." Jet started, placing his arms on his lightly armored waist. "You two wanna join the freedom fighters?"

"Thanks, but I don't think you really want us in your gang." Zuko replied, with Solus nodding in silent agreement.

"Come on, we made a great team looting that captain's food. Think of all the good we could do for these refugees!" he insisted, obviously eager to recruit new team members.

"I said no." the scarred bender responded bluntly, already turning back towards his Uncle.

"Have it your way then." called Jet as the two walked back towards the tall column, as the General lifted a steaming cup of tea to his mouth.

"What are you doing firebending your tea!" growled Zuko angrily, slapping the newly warmed beverage out of the older man's hands. "For a wise old man that was a pretty stupid move."

"I know you aren't supposed to cry over spilled tea," sniffed Iroh, staring down despondently at the liquid that was now seeping into the cracks between the tiles that covered the floor. "But it's so sad."

"I think that we are going to regret that." frowned Solus quietly. "I think our new friend saw it. It would likely be best we watch our backs when we get to the city, in case he sees fit to stick one of those fancy swords of his into them."

"Come on." said the Prince, gesturing to his Uncle and his friend as the stone train pulled gradually into the station.

They followed his lead, after allowing other passengers to disembark, and stepped into the small stone car. They were joined by a host of other refugees, all traveling to the same place. Into the city. Seated next to them were a couple with a baby, obviously quite young and Iroh spoke to them in his usual friendly tone.

"What a handsome baby!" the old man smiled, and the woman thanked him.

Solus paid very little attention to the exchange, only staring out the windows of the train as it passed out of the massive outer wall of the city. Around them were hundreds of kilometers of fields, colored orange and yellow by the slowly setting sun. As it slowly dipped below the horizon, leaving the fields and the walls all a darker, purplish color, the young firebender sighed. He worried what the next day would bring, particularly with a very aggressive Earth Kingdom swordsman suspecting them of their true origins.

_Nothing good will come of that. H_e decided, even as they moved ever closer to the inner walls of the massive city of Ba Sing Se.

* * *

_**After Note: That was just as long as I wanted it to be, with the exact pacing. I think this sort of slowly paced long chapter formula will continue for most of Book 2, as will the three days per chapter writing period, with any luck, though that will likely be subject to change as time goes on. At any rate, I hoped you liked the chapter, and if so, that you leave review, subscribe, or favorite. Thanks for reading!**_


	19. Chapter 18

_**Author's Note: The last chapter was a bit of a transitional one, and again, not that much happened. With any luck, this one will end up slightly more exciting than the last. I hope you like it!**_

* * *

Solus walked silently by Zuko's side as they made their way through the lower ring of Ba Sing Se. This part of the city was crowded, with thousands of other refugees filling the streets with drying laundry, rambunctious children and aggressive street vendors. The houses were all in various states of disrepair, with those closer to the inner rings looking newer and better kept and those closer to the outer ring primarily old shacks and dilapidated buildings. Luckily for the three firebenders, they had been able to secure a nicer apartment not far from the middle ring and were walking there now.

The third member of their group walked up from behind them, grinning excitedly, with a large pot of orange flowers in hand.

"I just want our new place to look nice," Iroh said in response to a curious glance from one of his pupils and a slightly more angry glance from the other. "In case someone brings home a lady friend." the old man winked at his nephew, giving him a slight nudge before turning to look at Solus. "Either of you!"

The young bender only shrugged in response, though his thoughts turned to the red flower he still kept in his pocket, though it had dried up long ago. He wondered if the he could plant the seeds and grow a garden, given enough time. It would certainly look nice.

"This city is a prison. I don't want to make a life here." Zuko replied unhappily to his uncle.

"Life happens wherever you are, whether you make it or not!" declared the General wisely, before continuing. "Now come on, I've found us some new jobs and we start this afternoon."

"A job for all three of us?" asked the other young firebender hopefully. "At the same place?"

"Yes!" responded Iroh cheerily, even as they continued walking towards their new home. "It seems that all of these refugees have created quite a demand, and there is a tea house that is hiring. We should get along fine."

"A tea house?" asked Solus happily, though his friend only scoffed. "I always wondered what it would be like to make and serve tea for a living. It is very much appreciated, Ir- err, Mushi."

The old man chuckled and gave his nephew the flowerpot to hold as they arrived at their new abode. The General opened the door, and they stepped into their new home in the walled city of Ba Sing Se.

* * *

That afternoon, the three disguised firebenders were standing in front of the man who owned the dimly lit tea house they were now employed at. The man had given them uniforms and was now speaking in a particularly friendly manner to his three new employees.

"Well, you certainly look like official tea servers. How do you feel?"

"It fits." said Solus plainly, having no particular feelings about the green colored robes and the white apron.

"Ridiculous." griped Zuko, obviously uncomfortable in his new clothes.

"Does this possible come in a larger size?" asked Iroh as he struggled to tie the back of his own apron.

"I have extra string in the back." said the man, as he quickly poured three cups of tea. "Have some tea while you wait."

Both the General and the more tea-inclined of his two pupils took a sip of their drinks, before the former almost immediately spit his out, coughing and spluttering.

"This tea is nothing more than hot leaf juice!" exclaimed the old man indignantly, looking down with disdain at the liquid in his cup.

"Uncle, that's what all tea is." his nephew threw his hands up exasperatedly.

"How could a member of my own family say something so horrible!" replied the old man, the indignance still present in his voice. "We'll have to make some major changes around here." he decided, throwing the tea out of the window.

"No wonder we are the only workers here." Solus said, frowning down at the remnants of his own hot beverage. "That was awful."

"Now, are you gentlemen ready to serve up some tea?" asked the owner, appearing from the back of the shop with a long piece of string for Iroh's sake.

So the day progressed, with the three men carrying tea to the various customers who entered the tea house. They worked for many hours, with the old General eventually convincing the owner of the establishment to allow him to serve his own tea, with Solus as his assistant. The duo produced dozens of pots of tea, though Zuko had little difficulty keeping up with the orders. It seemed that despite the glowing reviews that many consumers had for the older man's brews, the store was not receiving nearly as much patronage as they would expect. Despite this, when the three's shift ended and they were allowed to return home, they were all exhausted.

When they finally reached the apartment, the Prince flopped down on his bed and began staring up at the ceiling while his friend and Uncle began cooking and preparing the night's meal.

"We will have to get purchase some food and ingredients at some point." sighed Solus, his stomach growling pitifully. "We have barely enough food in here to make one meal, and what we have isn't exactly the most fresh."

"Agreed. We could probably get some new tea leaves when we go out, too." replied Iroh, standing over their single stove. "Would you like a pot of tea?"

"We've been working in a tea shop all day!" exclaimed Zuko as he lounged on his cot. "I'm sick of tea!"

"Sick of tea!" the General replied in an exaggeratedly shocked tone. "That's like being sick of _breathing_!"

"I wouldn't mind some tea." called the other firebender from the other side of the room. "Should go nicely with our dinner."

"Have you seen the spark rocks to heat up the water?" the old man asked, nodding at his young friend in response to the request before shrugging and walking out of the apartment and down the hallway, returning moments later with a smile on his face and spark rocks in his hands. "I borrowed our neighbors." he said happily, leaning towards the stove. "Such kind people."

"It seems we have been having remarkably good luck so far." mused Solus, as he continued preparing their meal. "Nice housing, friendly neighbors, and jobs. Though we definitely need more food."

The Dragon of the West chuckled in response, and when the cooking was finished, the three incognito firebenders sat down around their home's solitary table to eat their dinner.

* * *

The next day passed largely without incident, and it was already late in their shifts when the sun set. The tea house was far more crowded now and all three of its employees rushed around, making and serving the tea that all of the customers had come for. It seemed that the pots Iroh brewed were far more popular than anything the owner himself made and the old man was in his element making and serving the drink, chatting with those who entered the tea house.

Zuko himself was concentrating primarily on keeping up with the orders of those who entered, both serving the various tables and cleaning up after the patrons who had already left. There was no shortage of work for the scarred young man as he had been busy throughout the duration of the shift.

While the other two were brewing tea and serving it, Solus was in the back of the room, at work cleaning all of the old teacups and making sure that there was a steady supply of new teapots for Iroh to use. It was hard work, but the firebender didn't mind. It gave his hands something to do while his mind wandered and he thought of many different things. He thought of the flower he still kept in his pocket, it's seeds now planted in a small wooden box he had found in their apartment when they first moved in. He thought of his vision that night in the woods, of the fiery dragon roaring in the night. He thought of his travels and what the older man had told him that day in the broken, dilapidated shack. He continued to think for much of his shift, as he washed hundreds of cups and dozens of teapots, until his hands went through the motions automatically.

A loud slamming noise caused the dishwasher to look up. Someone had just opened the door to the tea house rather violently and this someone was now swaggering through the store, dual hooked blades already unsheathed and in his hands.

_Jet._ Solus frowned, stepping towards the front of the room and his two friends. _This can't be good._

"I'm tired of waiting!" shouted the swordsman, as he staggered aggressively into the tea house. "These three men are firebenders!"

The youth shouted, spinning his weapons around in an aggressive manner. The young dishwasher at the back reached instinctively to his hip for the hilt of his sword, but realized that it was not there. He had left the weapon in their apartment, seeing no use for it at work. _I suppose I will just have to watch this one play out._ he sighed, though he still looked around for nearby objects that could be used for self defense if necessary, eventually settling on a poker for the large fire at the back of the room.

"I know they're firebenders!" the angry boy shouted from the front of the room. "I saw the old man heating his tea!"

"He works in a tea shop!" responded one of the customers, a soldier by the looks of him.

"He's a firebender, I'm telling you!" Jet persisted, waving his swords around in the air.

"Drop your swords boy," the soldier stood slowly, his voice commanding. "Nice and easy."

"You'll have to defend yourself." the swordsman moved aggressively towards Solus' friends, waving his weapons aggressively. "Then everyone will know." there was a crazy look in his eyes now, eyebrows and mouth twisted into a snarl. "Go ahead. Show them what you can do."

"You want a show?" asked Zuko, who had been silent the whole time, as he stepped forwards and pulled the dual blades from one of the soldier's hip. "I'll give you a show!"

And so the fight began. The two swordsmen danced about, appearing to be evenly matched, hurling tables and chairs at each other as they dodged and spun around the room. They seemed almost graceful, each relying on their agility and the versatility of their weapons to dodge and parry while engaging the other at the same time.

Eventually, Jet was able to throw his scarred opponent out through the door he had entered, and the two continued their fight as both Iroh and Solus looked on, along with the various patrons of the tea house. Again one or the other would strike, and again their foe would parry or dodge and return with their own riposte. Eventually, their swords became locked together, each pushing against the other, refusing to surrender or pull back, and Jet began to taunt the scarred swordsman in front of him.

"You must be getting tired of using those swords." he grinned wolfishly, the stalk of grass still gripped in his teeth. "Why don't you go ahead and firebend at me?"

"Please son, you're confused!" shouted the old General from Solus' side. "You don't know what you're doing!"

"He's making quite the spectacle," the young firebender stated cynically. "Making quite the fool of himself."

"Bet you wish they'd help you out with a little fire blast right now!" goaded the Earth Kingdom swordsman, as the two broke away and continued their duel. Zuko was able to trap his foe's sword against the cobblestones, and he continued the verbal exchange.

"You're the one who needs help!" snarled the swordsman, before stepping forward and slicing horizontally at his opponent. The blade sung through the air, slicing the tip off the well-chewed grass in Jet's mouth before the Earth Kingdom youth leapt backwards, standing atop a fountain.

"You see that?" he called to the people standing in the streets. "The Fire Nation is trying to silence me! It'll never happen!"

The two swordsmen leapt at each other once again, now only wielding a single blade each after partially disarming the other. The blades clashed and clanged, whistling as they sliced through the air, and a circle of bystanders formed slowly around the duelers as they fought. They had increased in proximity slowly and steadily, and were only a fraction of a meter apart, when an officiously secretive looking man stepped through the crowd, standing next to a similarly dressed companion.

"Drop your weapons!" the man commanded and the two moved apart to stand on opposite sides of the circle.

"Arrest him!" shouted Jet, pointing an accusing finger at Zuko. "They're firebenders!"

"This poor boy is confused!" called out Iroh, who had come to stand with Solus near the edge of the growing crowd. "We're just simple refugees!"

"Driven from our homes only to be attacked in the one place we thought safe!" added the poker-armed dishwasher, attempting to capitalize on the sympathy of the crowd.

"This young man wrecked my tea shop and assaulted my employees!" called the owner of the tea house, who had joined them in the street.

"It's true sir, we saw the whole thing." stated the soldier from before, standing with his friend behind the armed firebender. "This crazy kid attacked the finest tea maker in the city."

"Ohohoho, that's very sweet." blushed the teamaker shyly, though he was obviously happy to see his creations receive recognition.

"Come with us, son." said the men, stepping forward menacingly as Jet struggled and fought their strong grasps.

"You don't understand!" he shouted, eyes wild with anger and confusion. "They're Fire Nation! You have to believe me!'

The two men dragged the struggling swordsman into the back of a horse-drawn carriage and slammed the door shut behind him before riding off into the night.

_**After Note: Sorry that took so long to write. I was incredibly busy these past few days, and have been unable to set aside as much time for writing. However, as promised, this chapter was slightly more interesting, and only a prelude to much more interesting bits to come. Also, it has come to my attention that some people would like more Solus-centric chapters (those that focus primarily on his non-canonical adventures) which I think is a totally reasonable sentiment. I was already planning on having more of these sorts of chapters in the next few sections I release, as Book 2 is the perfect time for this sort of thing. I won't spoil anything, but it should definitely get interesting. So, I hope you all liked the chapter, and if you did, that you leave a review, subscribe, or favorite the story. The next chapter should be released in three or so days.**_


	20. Chapter 19

_**Author's Note: Sorry that this chapter (and the previous one, as well) took so long. I have just been really busy lately, and have not had enough time to write. However, with any luck, this chapter will make up for it. So, without further ado, the chapter. I hope you like it!**_

* * *

Solus was wandering through the streets of the lower ring of Ba Sing Se with his sword at his side and Kuzon circling high above. It had been a few weeks since the young bender and his friends had moved to the large city, and the bird had taken to sleeping in the outer ring of the city every night whilst taking to the skies above the lower ring during the day.

It was the young firebender's day off and he was taking the time to search for food in the vast city. There were many great markets in and around the green-shaded houses that filled the stony streets, and so far he had no difficulty finding the necessary ingredients, such as rice, noodles, chicken and other various spices and minor ingredients. The young swordsman had been lucky, as he had been the first of the three employees at the tea house to have a day off. It was Sunday, the least busy day, and the owner had decided to grant one of the three workers a paid off day, with Iroh having the day off next Sunday, Zuko the week after that and so on.

Solus had taken to going on long walks every morning before going to the tea house and he decided that after returning home with his acquired groceries he would go on one of said walks, though it was later than usual. The path he usually walked was initially composed of cobblestone as it wound through the twisting streets and narrow byways that composed much of the lower ring before turning to dirt and scattered stone as it passed through the massive stone gate out of the city. The gate itself was meant to be closed during times of invasion or war, but to the young bender's great interest the guards stationed there kept it open at almost all hours of the day, barring the darkest hours of the night.

As he passed through the aforementioned gate the swordsman looked up at the green and yellow rolling hills that stretched before him, meeting the vast blue sky on the distant cloud-tufted horizon, he sighed. The sigh was one of both melancholy and wonder, for he marveled at the massive walls that encompassed so much, while imprisoning all within.

Pushing those grimmer thoughts to the back of his mind, Solus eventually diverged from the path, striding purposefully up one of many sloping green hills. At the top sat a solitary oak tree, the lone sentinel of the walled-in hills. Kuzon had taken to roosting in it's massive leafy boughs, and the young firebender had taken to sitting and thinking when he could in it's shade, going as far as to allow scattered Fire Lily seeds to grow nearby. The flower they had come from had long since crumbled and withered, but it's progeny lived on, now blooming into new plants, after falling from the young bender's pocket.

When he reached the hill, the incognito firebender sat down, leaning against the tree's massive trunk. The colorful plants had already bloomed in what amounted to a surprisingly short amount of time and Solus laid back against the trunk as he watched them sway in the gentle breeze. The messenger hawk was still circling high above and the bender that sat below him did so in silence, choosing to listen and examine his surroundings.

Eventually, after an hour or so of sitting beneath the towering oak tree on the tall green hill, the disguised Fire Nation fugitive stood, stretching his arms above his head and sighing before beginning to walk down the slope. He stopped only for a moment, seeing one of the many Fire Lilies in his path before bending down to gently pluck one of it's flowers. He smelled it thoughtfully, then gave a low whistle, signalling Kuzon to come spiraling down from it's preferred lofty altitude to perch on Solus' outstretched arm. Whispering quietly to the large bird, the swordsman tied the stalk of the flower to the animal's leg and tossed the hawk into the air, watching as it soared upwards and away over the hills and fields that surrounded Ba Sing Se. He watched as the small black speck retreated into the distance until it was no longer visible, then resumed his walk down the hill.

_I wonder if he will be able to find her._ questioned the young firebender as he stepped back onto the dirt path. The dust and gravel crunched underneath his feet and the refugee was again engulfed in thought. It was in this state he remained until a voice called out to him.

"Stop right there, traveler!" the voice called angrily and Solus looked up surprisedly, realising that he had reached the gate to the outer ring of the city. "Stand still."

The voice was coming from an Earth Kingdom soldier, who was standing on guard by the gate. He had never seen the man before and realized that the green clad man was likely from a different guard shift than those the incognito bender usually saw.

"Is there a problem, sir?" asked the swordsman innocently, instinctively reaching towards his sword.

"There sure is." replied the man gruffly, frowning at the question. "There has been word of..." he paused, as though thinking of the correct way to phrase his statement. "Trouble on the outer wall. Nothing serious, but we were told to restrict access to the inner ring."

"I see." responded Solus, now with his own reason to frown curious as to the cause for this change and suspecting Fire Nation involvement. "I just have to go back to my home. I promise I won't be any trouble."

The man looked him over, before eventually deciding that the young man before him was no threat.

"Go on through, but we're going to close the gate for the night after. You'd do well to stay in the lower ring."

The firebender nodded in response, and walked quickly through the gap in the massive wall. He wondered about the mention of the trouble on the outer wall and if he would be affected in any other way beyond the restriction of morning walks.

The young swordsman sighed as he continued his stroll through the crowded streets of the lower ring.

* * *

It was a few days after his last walk outside of the walls of Ba Sing Se when Solus began noticing slightly odd behavior among a certain member of the Tea House's usual patrons. A girl, of a similar age to the two youngest employees of the tea shop she frequented seemed to be paying an unusual amount of attention to Zuko. The Prince's friend was suspicious of the girl at first, who seemed to follow the scarred tea server's movements with a curious eye at all times and he worried that at least one person had taken Jet's crazed but true tirades to heart.

It seemed that the dishwasher's worries were unfounded, however, as the brown-haired Earth Kingdom girl showed no indication of being any sort of threat, though she managed to keep her apparent obsession with the disguised firebender hidden from the object of her attentions for some time. It seemed that the only reason Solus had noticed was that it was not directed at him, and despite his initial trepidation, he said nothing to his two roommates, deciding that it would be best to avoid causing unnecessary concern among them.

It took a few weeks of endless ogling for Zuko to finally catch on to the fact that the girl was paying him more attention than the rest of his customers, and he stated his suspicions to both his friend and Iroh one day while standing with the other two in the back of the Tea House.

"Uncle! Solus! We have a problem!" the Prince whispered furtively as he brought empty tea pots to his friend at the sink. "One of the customers is on to us. Don't look now, but there is a girl over there at the corner table. She knows we're Fire Nation." he indicated the corner table, still averting his glance from the girl sitting there before rebuking at his Uncle, who looked at the aforementioned girl. "Didn't I say don't look?"

Solus attempted to suppress a laugh, but was unsuccessful as he finally broke out into a quiet half-suppressed laugh, earning himself a glare from Zuko.

"You just noticed the fact that she has been watching you for the past three weeks _now_?" asked the young bender, between bouts of quiet laughter. "I think if she would think we were Fire Nation she would have done something by now. No, Zuko, I think you have a secret admirer." he paused, before looking at his friend and laughing again at the Prince's expression. "Or perhaps, not so secret."

"Solus is right, Zuko. I've seen that girl in here quite a lot." said Iroh, smiling at his nephew as he spoke. "Seems to me she has quite a little crush on you!"

"What!?" Zuko asked incredulously in a barely hushed tone, as his fellow employees chuckled at his response.

"Thank you for the tea." interrupted a friendly voice, startling the three firebenders and causing all three to look downwards as they pretended that they had not been conversing. The owner of the voice was the same girl they had just been talking about, and she spoke pleasantly as she paid for her tea. "What's your name?" she asked, now addressing Zuko specifically as the dishwasher raised an eyebrow at his tea-making friend, who chuckled quietly in response while the Prince struggled for an answer.

"My name's Lee. We three just moved here." said the young bender as he turned to speak with the girl.

"Hi Lee, my name is Jin." she smiled, before tilting her head and continuing. "Thank you, and… well… I was wondering if you would like to go out some time?"

"He'd love to!" Iroh exclaimed, speaking for his stunned nephew.

"Great!" Jin replied, obviously pleased with this answer. "I'll meet you in front of the shop at sundown."

When the Earth Kingdom girl finally left the Tea House, Solus laughed at the expression on the still stunned Zuko's face. The newly employed waiter was standing stock still, and it seemed he had no idea what to say.

"Well, I have to say that I had no idea that she would be that forward." smiled the dishwasher as he dried his hands with a nearby rag. "It seems that you have got yourself a date, Zuko." he paused, before chuckling quietly and turning back to his work. "And a girlfriend, too."

"She's not my girlfriend!" shouted the addressed waiter, obviously distressed at the use of the term.

"Whatever you say, Zuko. Whatever you say." the young bender grinned cheekily, before starting to wash the new set of plates and pots that were in front of him.

* * *

Eventually, after another couple of hours, it was time to close the shop, and Zuko left on his scheduled evening date after his Uncle had determined the young waiter's hair to be satisfactory. The remaining two employees spent another half an hour cleaning up the Tea House before they walked home, quietly in the darkness.

Upon arriving at their apartment, Solus immediately began cooking a small dinner, and after he finished cooking and the two ate, he sat in his chair and stared at the ceiling. He stayed in this position for some time before a fluttering at the open window caught his attention.

There was Kuzon, apparently returned from some long venture. The part time dishwasher had not seen the bird since he had sent the creature with the flower weeks ago, but despite the apparent long journey the messenger hawk was looking to be in good condition, his feathers shining as though polished and his eyes looking brightly at the young bender. Around the creature's leg was tied a tiny bundle, composed of a small piece of paper and a white flower, similar to one of those he had seen in that meadow all of those weeks ago.

Smiling, Solus took the bundle from the bird, scratching it's neck fondly before looking down to read the note. He grinned widely in response, even as Iroh raised a questioning eyebrow at the contents of the message, but neither spoke. The Fire Nation man only stood, taking the flower and placing it in a vase of water on the table, before slipping the piece of paper into his pocket and sitting back down.

The old general merely shrugged and stood, walking to the window to look out over the darkened city.

_He is probably waiting for Zuko to come home._ Realized Solus, and it seemed that he was correct when the scarred bender came quickly through the front door. It seemed that his Uncle already had a prepared question, though Zuko showed at first little indication of having any interest in conversation as he walked to his sleeping quarters and slammed the door behind him.

"How was your night, Prince Zuko?" asked the older man as the doors closed violently.

After a moment's hesitation, the door slid open slightly and the addressed swordsman spoke quietly.

"It was nice." said the Prince, as he slid the door closed quietly again.

Iroh looked towards the other bender in the room, who merely shrugged in response before each decided to go to sleep, with Kuzon choosing to roost in the rafters of their apartment.

* * *

_**After Note: Wow. That took way longer than I expected, at least two days longer than intended. It seems that a combination of writer's block and the issue of not having nearly as much writing time as I would like has struck again, and has made this chapter later than usual. I apologize for this, and I also apologize for the fact that very little happens in this chapter. Some of you have asked whether or not Solus would have a part in the chapter that takes place during "Tale of Ba Sing Se" and while not much happens, it sets us up for conflict in later chapters. Also, I plan on having a future/narrator POV section soon, probably in the next chapter, so there is that to look forward to. So, I hope you liked the chapter, and if so, that you leave a review, subscribe, or favorite the story! Thanks for reading!**_


	21. Chapter 20

_**Author's Note: So, now we come to the final stretches of book 2! I think I will divide the last four episodes into two or three chapters, with one shorter chapter and two longer ones. Also, for the next two or so weeks chapters will be released at a reduced rate, due to the fact that my beta reader, CEObrainz, will be unavailable. The increased time between releases will give me more time to ensure that the released chapters are of the best possible quality. So, on to the chapter! I hope you like it!**_

It was an average morning in the lower ring of Ba Sing Se, and Solus was at work, washing cups and pots as well as tending to his other minor chores in the Tea House. Zuko was dutifully tending to the various tables, primarily to place and remove cups and other finery, while Iroh was moving slowly around the room, personally pouring the tea of each customer as he was wont to do when the tea shop was less crowded. The owner was somewhere in the back, tending to matters involving the business and finances of the business.

Towards the front of the Tea House, the dishwasher's attention was caught by three men walking up behind the General who had just served them tea. The leader of the group proceeded to talk to the old man in a friendly and boisterous voice, lauding him for his talents.

"So you're the genius behind this incredible brew!" began the man, catching Iroh's attention. "The whole city is buzzing about you! I hope Pao pays you well…"

The invocation of his employer caused Solus to look up from his work and begin to pay closer attention to the man. He was interested to note the expensive gems adorning the obviously wealthy patron's fingers, with the two other customers that stood behind him taking on the appearance of attendants.

"Good tea is it's own reward." smiled the elderly tea maker in his usual friendly manner.

"But it doesn't have to be the only reward." responded the man. "How would you like to have your own tea shop?"

This statement ensured that the man had both the dishwasher's and the brewer's attention. Solus stood from his stooped position at the sink, dried his hands with a nearby cloth, and walked slowly forward to stand behind the old man, cloth still in hand.

"My own tea shop?" exclaimed Iroh, surprise evident in his tone. "This is a dream come true!"

"What's going on here?" cried the owner as he scurried to the side of his favorite employee. "Are you trying to poach my tea maker!?"

"Sorry Pao, but that's business for you, am I right?" smirked the rich patron.

"Mushi, if you stay I'll make you assistant manager!" countered Pao, obviously scrambling for way to keep the retired General from leaving. "Wait, senior assistant manager!"

"I'll provide you with a new apartment in the upper ring." added the man, smiling as he made his point. "The tea shop is yours to do whatever you want. Complete creative freedom."

Solus gave him an incredulous look. This deal seemed as though it would be too good to be true, but here the man was. It seemed that both the owner of the Tea House and the rich man knew each other from some previous encounter, business or otherwise, and Pao was seriously worried about losing his employees.

"I even get to name the shop?" asked Iroh, apparently just as incredulous as his young friend.

"Of course!" he replied, as though it were a question with an obvious answer.

"Senior _executive _assistant manager?" asked the tea shop owner, practically begging "Mushi" to stay.

He was unsuccessful, however, and the older man handed him the teapot he had been carrying. Pao blanched, heading to the back of the Tea House in despair while Zuko carried a plate of teacups up towards the front of the shop.

"Did you hear nephew?" called Iroh to the young waiter. "This man wants to give us our own tea shop in the upper ring of the city!"

"That's right young man." added the entrepreneur genially. "Your life is about to change for the better!"

"I'll try to contain my joy." replied the Prince sourly, as he set the tray to the side and walked out of the shop.

"If it means anything, I am certainly excited." spoke Solus, for the first time in quite a while in an excited manner before taking on a more somber tone. "Of course, if you choose to employ me."

"Of course I will!" smiled the Dragon of the West. "You are practically family by now, it would be heartless to leave you here. I am sure there will be space for three in the new apartment?" he asked as he turned to the businessman.

"Naturally." he grinned in response, having secured the employment of one of the best tea makers in the city. "All of the usual amenities will be provided- furniture, plenty of rooms, restrooms, and a fully stocked kitchen."

This last addition to the list of luxuries to adorn their new apartment caused the young bender to raise an eyebrow. He had taken to cooking most of the three firebender's meals lately, finding the job inexplicably relaxing after a long day at work. He bowed to the wealthy entrepreneur as he untied the apron around his waist.

"You will be able to move into your new home in a matter of days." declared the man, before bowing to the General and walking out of the Tea House.

Later on that day Solus and Iroh had returned to their home to begin packing what meager belongings they possessed. The latter of the two had more than the former, mainly consisting of clothes and tea related items, while his young housemate had very little. The swordsman had only a few different sets of clothing, in addition to his ever present sword, the small (now pressed) white flower he had received a number of days earlier, the note that accompanied it, some treats for Kuzon, and a select few spices that he had accumulated while shopping in the markets of the lower ring.

The two were sitting quietly, with the messenger hawk sitting quietly in the corner, when Zuko entered.

"So I was thinking about names for my new tea shop." the older man said as soon as his Nephew entered. "How about: the Jasmine Dragon? It's dramatic, poetic, and it has a nice ring to it."

"The Avatar's here in Ba Sing Se." declared the Prince, ignoring his Uncle's remarks while holding out a slip of paper for the old man to see. "And he's lost his bison."

"We have a chance for a new life here." responded Iroh as he took the paper from his nephew's outstretched hand. "If you start stirring up trouble, we could lose all the good things that are happening for us."

"Good things that are happening for _you._" replied Zuko angrily as he whirled to face his Uncle. "Have you ever thought that I want more from life than a nice apartment and a job serving tea?"

"There is nothing wrong with a life of peace and prosperity." the old man reminded the scarred bender. "I suggest you think about what it is that you want from your life, and why."

"I want my destiny." stated the Prince firmly, turning away from the peaceful old man.

"What that means is up to you!" replied the General, before shouting out another name for his shop. "The Tea Weevil!" he frowned, considering the name. "No, that's stupid."

Solus only sighed as he watched his friend exit the room.

_What do I want from my life?_ he asked himself, staring ponderously at Kuzon. _I suppose I will have to find that out myself._ the bender again sighed, before glancing down at the note packed among his belongings and smiling slightly. _Perhaps I will not have to find out alone, though._

Later that night, Solus was fast asleep when he was suddenly woken by Iroh whispering urgently at him.

"Solus!" the old man muttered urgently. "You need to get up."

"Wha…?" the young benders confusion was evident, though he was still too groggy to form complete sentences.

"Zuko is gone, and I suspect that he has reverted to some of his less… _moral _habits." the General continued, as the swordsman stumbled out of bed. "Bring your sword."

"Where did he go?" the young man asked, as he tied his weapon to his sash. "Do you know?"

"I think I do." frowned the elder firebender. "Bring Kuzon as well, just in case."

With that, the two firebenders and the messenger hawk slipped quietly from their soon to be vacant apartment and into the empty streets of the lower ring. They moved quickly and soundlessly through the streets, with the bird flying low above their heads. Their path took the two incognito Fire Nation men through winding byways, alleys, and footpaths, while drawing ever closer to the looming outer wall.

When they finally reached the gate, the silent travelers were pleased to find the guards asleep at their posts and the opening in the massive wall open, allowing them to slip out of the lower ring and into the surrounding fields.

Once they were free from the restrictions of the crowded city, both Iroh and Solus broke into a sprint, the former following tracks barely discernable in the moonlit night. They ran down dusty country roads and paths, with the elder General surprising his younger companion with his stamina and speed. The swordsman himself struggled to keep up, and Kuzon floated above appearing only as a shadow against the glimmering stars.

Eventually, after what seemed to be about an hour of running, the trio eventually arrived at a lake. Taking this as a signal to stop and rest, the young firebender gasped for breath before eventually turning to his older companion to speak. He was interrupted by a hushing noise and a stern glance.

"Now, Solus, is the time for stealth." whispered the Dragon of the West. "He went with a Dai Li agent to the lake."

The old man indicated what appeared to be a sort of long stone jetty, jutting out into the cool dark waters of the lake. The jetty stretched into the lightly rippling and murky water, before terminating about halfway into the boat-free lake. At its terminus, there was what looked to be a small stone manhole, and it was toward this hole that Iroh pointed.

Gesturing for Solus to follow, the General moved towards the narrow pit with his young friend in tow. When they reached it, the firebenders looked down to see a set of narrow rungs attached to the side of a stone-lined pit that stretched downwards into shadow. Kuzon gave a small cry and flapped away to perch on a tree that stood near the edge of the lake, watching as the two benders prepared to descend.

When they were ready, they climbed down into the yawning opening, moving quickly into the pit. As they climbed, a smell reached their noses that caused the two infiltrators to flinch. It seemed that they had entered some sort of underground canal system, or perhaps a sewer, and the cavernous chamber they now climbed down into smelled accordingly.

Once they reached the bottom, Iroh looked around before pointing in the direction he decided best. The two made their way through the tunnels, whose main features tended to be poor greenish lighting and waterways that ran through the middle, rimmed by causeways that arrived at frequent doorways and dead ends. It at first seemed to the younger firebender that the General was following some arbitrary path, before he realized that there was a black clad figure some distance in front of them, with no distinguishable features beyond clothing that was almost entirely black and a grotesque blue mask that covered only the figure's face. Eventually, the person turned into a stone doorway, closing it furtively behind him.

The pair of firebenders followed soon after, and found themselves in a wide, cavernous room that stretched for several meters into darkness. There was a massive creature there, and it took Solus some time to recognise the Avatar's bison as it sat huddled and chained in the cavern. The masked man stood in front of the huge beast, and turned to face the two newcomers to the large chamber as he raised his swords aggressively at them.

"Uncle? Solus?" asked the masked man as he lowered his weapons.

The young bender then realized that it had been his friend they had followed this whole time, though it was not immediately clear why the Prince wore a mask. He had known of his fellow firebender's illicit activities for some time, and of the legendary Blue Spirit, but had at first figured that this disguised individual would lead them to Zuko, instead of actually being Zuko himself.

"So, the Blue Spirit." said Iroh slowly, stroking his beard as he looked inquisitively at his nephew. "I wonder who could be behind that mask."

"What are you two doing here?" sighed the scarred swordsman as he removed his mask, revealing his face.

"I was just about to ask you the same thing." declared the old man. "What do you plan to do now that you have found that Avatar's bison? Keep it locked in your new apartment? Should I go put on a pot of tea for him?" the General questioned, his anger evident though not completely overt.

"First I have to get it out of here…" frowned the Prince, turning to look at the massive creature.

"And then what!?" the Dragon of the West shouted frustratedly. "You never think these things through! This is exactly what happened when you captured the Avatar at the North Pole!" Iroh berated his nephew, raising his hands exasperatedly. "You had him, and then you had nowhere to go!"

"I would have figured something out!" responded Zuko, beginning to shout back at his Uncle.

"No!" retorted Iroh. "If his friends hadn't found you and Solus, you would have both frozen to death!"

"I know my own destiny Uncle!" replied the scarred bender, anguish apparent in his voice.

"Is it your own destiny?" questioned the General. "Or is it a destiny someone else has tried to force on you?"

"Stop it Uncle, I have to do this!" shouted the Prince, though he now sounded less sure of himself.

"I'm begging you, Prince Zuko!" the old man responded, sounding quite desperate at this point. "It's time for you to look inward and begin asking yourself the big questions: Who are you, and what do _you_ want?"

The Fire Nation Prince cried out in distress, throwing down his weapons and mask as he sank to his knees. As Iroh moved forward to comfort his Nephew, Solus ran to the flying bison's chains and began to remove the simple blocks that kept them in place, speaking as he worked.

"It is likely that someone heard that. We should move quickly." he said as the first chain fell to the ground.

The next five chains fell in quick succession, and the massive flying creature blasted through the roof of the room, which apparently was somewhere away from the lake that disguised the entrance. The three firebenders soon retraced their steps through moss-strewn passageways that were lit with dimly glowing rocks before eventually arriving at the entrance.

Once they exited the pit to stand back at the top above the stone pier they had used to enter the tunnels, the three firebenders stood for a moment as their eyes became accustomed to the sun. After a moment of silence, Iroh spoke to his young relative.

"You did the write thing, Nephew." the old man said as he watched the Prince proudly. When he noticed the Fire Lord's son staring down at the blue mask he held in his gloved hands, the General spoke gently to him.

"Leave it behind." Iroh spoke softly.

Zuko complied, stepping slowly forward to drop the mask into the azure waters of the lake. It sank swiftly, eventually disappearing into the murky depths below as the three incognito Fire Nation men turned and walked down the stone jetty and back towards the walled city of Ba Sing Se.

The Fire Nation storyteller slouched back into his chair, having finished another portion of his story, and rubbed his tired eyes. It was late again, and the exhausted young man was quite ready to go to sleep, though something stopped him. His Water Tribe friend had been staring off into space as she listened to the story, and the sudden silence caused her to look at him inquisitively.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

The young woman had noticed something off about her friend in the past few days. Usually he would be in a fairly good mood while he told his stories, in attempts to cheer her up, but lately he had been distracted, and seemed to have difficulty concentrating on the story at times. After a while, the firebender answered, frowning as he spoke.

"Nothing. Nothing is wrong."

The response was terse, and not particularly convincing, but the Avatar decided to drop the subject, at least for now. She would probably ask again in the morning, see if the young Fire Nation man would admit what was troubling him. Instead of pursuing the line of questioning, the Water Tribe woman stood, bade her companion farewell, and returned to her room.

The storyteller remained in the room and sighed. He knew that he would have to tell her eventually, but for now was content to avoid mentioning what was bothering him. The firebender sighed again and stood, before walking slowly back to his own room to sleep.

_**After Note: Woah, that took a while to write. It seems that my writer's block has struck yet again, even though I had slightly more time to write than I did for the last chapter. Also, like I said in the note before the chapter, my beta reader is unavailable at the moment. As such, chapters will probably continue at a similar rate to the one they are currently being released at. Also, if you notice any glaring plot holes or typos, please leave a review to tell me so I can fix them. Thanks for reading, and if you enjoyed the chapter, please leave a review, subscribe, or favorite! **_


	22. Chapter 21

_** Author's Note: It has come to attention that we have just passed the 20 chapters mark. So, I would like to thank all of those people who have followed and reviewed this story, your support is very much appreciate. Also, though I know I say it a ton, thanks to my beta reader CEObrainz, for helping to ensure that my writing isn't complete garbage. So, on to the story! I hope you like it!**_

* * *

It was early evening in the Southern Water Tribe, and the sun was beginning to dip below the wave crested horizon. The two young benders were in their usual seats, the ever-present pot of tea sitting on the table between them. The storyteller cleared his throat and began speaking.

"So, shall we resume our tale where we left off?" he asked calmly, though it seemed a bit forced.

"Yes, that would be a good idea." his Water Tribe friend replied, before continuing. "Though I think it would also be a good idea for you to tell me what is wrong."

"Nothi-" he responded before being cut off almost immediately by an outburst from the Avatar.

"Don't tell me nothing is wrong!" she interrupted, slamming her cup of tea onto the table in a particularly sudden gesture before speaking in a slightly more gentle tone. "I can tell that something is bothering you, and it will be a lot easier for both of us if you just tell me!"

"Well…" the firebender sighed, setting his own tea cup far more gently. "I was planning on telling you later, in the interest of causing any unnecessary trouble."

Across the table, Korra raised a curious eyebrow. The storyteller continued to hesitate, so she urged him on with a small hand gesture.

"I got a letter from Lord Zuko the other day." he blurted out, before continuing at a growing pace. "White Lotus business. I have been ordered to travel to the Earth Kingdom in order to look into certain… _allegations_ against Kuvira."

"But Roku, why would they send you to the Earth Kingdom?" the Avatar asked. "I was under the impression that what Kuvira is doing is for the good of the whole Earth Kingdom."

"It is. Or so I am told."Roku shrugged, before frowning. "But some of the accusations are very serious. Serious enough that they are sending me, alone, to see if any of them are accurate. With any luck I will be able to get into the Earth Kingdom, take a look around to see if I can find anything, and get out before anybody notices."

"What sort of allegations are we talking about here?" asked the Southern Water Tribe woman.

"Slave labor. Prison camps. So called "reeducation camps". It could be worse than that, for all I know." the Fire Nation man said darkly. "Those stories only come from those that reach Republic City. Apparently the reports are fairly inconsistent, but common enough that both the Fire Lord and her father want me to look into them."

"Then why would they send you?" Korra asked, sitting back in her chair and giving him a thoughtful look. "You aren't exactly the most senior member of the White Lotus."

"No, I most certainly am not." grimaced the storyteller. "But I am one of the few with access to certain… _alternate_ methods of transportation. It's not exactly like Lord Zuko himself could go gallivanting off to the Earth Kingdom. And I suppose he trusts me, as well. I wouldn't be here if he didn't."

"I see." replied the Avatar as she slowly sipped her tea.

The two sat in silence for some time before she spoke again, this time in a much lighter, though a bit forced, of a tone.

"Well, aren't you going to continue telling the story?"

"Yeah, I suppose I probably should, shouldn't I?" Roku responded with a rueful smile. "Well, after Iroh, Zuko, and Solus had their little adventure at lake Laogai, the started to head back to their home…"

* * *

The three firebenders walked in silence through the winding streets of Ba Sing Se. The lower ring was crowded at this time of day, with hundreds of manual laborers, artisans, and refugees clogging the narrow lanes as they all headed to their various post-work destinations. The small groups maintained silence with Solus occasionally looking up to check on Kuzon, who was following at a distance from high in the darkening orange skies. They made their way to their small apartment, and upon arriving, stumbled slowly up the cramped staircase and into their room.

"You did the right thing letting the Avatar's bison go free." declared Iroh as he closed the door behind them.

"I don't feel right." mumbled Zuko weakly, as he clutched at his head and stumbled, destroying a potted plant as he fell to the ground.

"Zuko!" shouted the General with concern, and he rushed forward with Solus at his side.

"What's wrong with him?" asked the young swordsman as he helped his teacher move the unconscious Prince to his room. "He seemed just fine a few minutes ago."

"I am not sure yet." replied the Dragon of the West, frowning as they set his nephew gently on the scarred bender's bed. "Go get some cool water for washing, some water for drinking, and a cloth."

The young firebender nodded, and ran quickly to the kitchen, gathering the requested materials as quickly as possible. Despite his exhaustion, he was able to fill a simple bowl of water, fill a second bucket with clean water and a ladle, and fetch a grey washcloth, and deliver them all to his friend's room without spilling anything. As he entered and set the bowl next to the Prince, Zuko groaned and shifted under the covers. Iroh reached for the cloth, made it wet, and placed it on his nephew's forehead.

"You are burning up." he stated worriedly, addressing the scarred swordsman. "You have an intense fever. This will help cool you down."

"So… thirsty…" gasped the sick firebender, and he sat up, attempting to find something to drink.

"Here's some clean water to drink." said Iroh as he pushed the now shirtless bender back down onto the bed and reached for the ladle in the bucket of water. "Stay under the blankets and sweat this out."

The bedraggled prince gulped down the offered water greedily, as though it were the difference between life and death, before reaching for the nearby bucket and draining most of it. As the rest spilled out across the floor, Zuko threw the emptied container across the room.

When it rolled to a stop against the wall, Solus stood and picked it up. He walked slowly back to the kitchen, attempting to shrug off the exhaustion in his eyes. He had been awake for the majority of the previous night and had been walking or running for the majority of the past seventeen hours. The young firebender stumbled as he walked back to his friend's room, finding the physical exertions of the past day to be finally taking their toll on his motor skills.

Sitting back down next to his friend's bed, the exhausted swordsman set the bucket of water down quite heavily, spilling water onto the floor, and accepting the cup of tea offered to him by Iroh.

"You should know this is not a natural sickness." declared the old man, speaking again to his nephew as he passed the sick man a cup of tea. "But that shouldn't stop you from enjoying tea."

"W-what's happening?" asked Zuko desperately, stammering slightly as he spoke.

"Your critical decision, what you did beneath that lake." said the General wisely as he helped the scarred bender drink his tea. "It was in such conflict with you image of yourself that you are now at war within your own mind and body."

"What does that mean?" frowned the Prince feebly.

"Yeah, I'm not sure I follow either…" added Solus, frowning as he attempted to rub the sleep from his eyes.

"You are going through a metamorphosis, my nephew." Iroh answered. "It will not be a pleasant experience. But when you come out of it, you will be the beautiful Prince you were always meant to be."

The seated firebender shrugged, accepting the validity of the General's diagnosis. _He probably knows far more about ailments then I do._ Reasoned the young bender. The exhausted swordsman stood without a word, yawning as he did so, and bowed to his two friends before exiting the room, heading to his own bedchamber to get some much-needed sleep.

* * *

Three days later, Solus was wandering the streets of the Upper Ring of Ba Sing Se. He had moved with Zuko and Iroh to their new apartment, in the upper regions of the city. The young firebender found that these streets were far more structured and unclogged than those in the Lower Ring, a testament to the differences between the populations of each ring. The General's new tea shop was situated here, among the pristine houses and carefully maintained lawns that filled the smallest ring in the entire city.

The swordsman had woken early that morning, and, upon finding his two companions still slumbering, decided to venture out and explore instead of waiting for them to wake. The area had so far proved to be a far cry from the winding and twisting maze that was Solus' old home, and as such it had taken him some time to get used to. On top of the unfamiliarity, there was something strange about the Upper Ring that the former Fire Nation swordsman could not name. There was something off about this part of the city, something in the way that nobody seemed to even acknowledge the presence of the war, or how the Dai Li seemed to have a presence on nearly every street corner, carefully looking over the passerby as if they were searching for something. The people themselves reminded the firebender of those that had lived near him while he was growing up; they had a tendency to look down on those that did not possess much wealth as well as having little awareness of those poor, war-ravaged refugees that piled into the city every morning with the arrival of the ferries.

As he strolled through the stone-cobbled streets, Solus eventually became aware of some sort of procession before him. There was a group of soldiers clearing a path through the street, making sure that none stood in the way of whoever followed them, as they walked purposefully in the direction of the Palace. The young swordsman watched the street for the next couple of minutes, waiting for some indication of what was to follow the soldiers.

Moments passed, when finally a column of soldiers marched through the streets, accompanying a small group of women. There were three of them, dressed in armor that reminded the firebender of his very brief time spent on Kyoshi Island, with green kimonos covered in black armor, and wearing makeup. There was something oddly familiar about the three women that Solus was unable to immediately recognize. He stood for some time staring after them, curious as to where he might have seen three Kyoshi Warriors, before eventually shrugging and walking slowly back towards the apartment.

* * *

_**After Note: Woah, did that take a long time to write. Far longer than it should have, because it was also one of the shortest things I have written in weeks. So, I apologize for how short it was, and I apologize for how boring it was. The latter of two was likely the primary reason as to why I took so long, and again, I apologize. The next chapter should, with any luck, be around faster as well as being more interesting. Also, before I forget: a note about Roku (also known as the Narrator). He has no relation to Avatar Roku, beyond having the same name and being familiar with a different Avatar. I just picked the name because I liked it. So, I hope you liked this chapter, I apologize for it's brevity/dullness, and I hope you subscribe, follow, or favorite. Thanks for reading!**_


	23. Chapter 22

_**Author's Note: So it begins. The final stretch before the finish line (or perhaps the final stretch before the final lap, as I am still going to write book 3). Once I finish the last chapter of Book 2, I may take a brief break from writing, perhaps a week or so, though that is not set in stone yet. So, on to the chapter! I hope you like it!**_

* * *

It was morning in the Upper Ring of Ba Sing Se, and Solus was sitting in the kitchen of their new apartment, feeding Kuzon and watching as Iroh prepared breakfast. The older man was peacefully stirring a pot of Jook, a rice porridge that was said to be perfect for people recovering from sickness. The young firebender watched as the old man lit a fire in the stove with his spark rocks, before turning his attention back to the red and orange messenger hawk that sat perched on his shoulder. The bird was sleeping, seemingly enjoying his lofty perch, though Kuzon did not complain when the swordsman set him upon a tall wooden stand in the corner of the room. Instead the colorful hawk briefly turned a lazy, orange eye towards Solus, blinking slowly before tucking his head back underneath one wing.

It was then that Zuko walked slowly into the kitchen, yawning and stretching as he went. The scarred Prince had almost completely recovered from his mysterious but likely psychosomatic ailment and was now ravenous.

"What's that smell?" he asked, addressing his Uncle.

"It's Jook." stated Iroh before turning and looking at his nephew. "I'm sure you wouldn't like it."

Despite this, the firebender walked to the pot and smelled it, before taking up one of the nearby bowls and smiling.

"Actually, it smells delicious." Zuko held the bowl out towards the elderly cook. "I'd love a bowl, Uncle."

Solus raised an eyebrow at this sudden change in tastes, before standing and walking towards the stove in order to get his own bowl of the porridge.

"Now that your fever is gone, you seem different somehow." declared Iroh, raising an eyebrow as he poured a ladle of jook into his nephew's bowl.

"It's a new day! We've got a new apartment, new furniture, and today is the grand opening of your new tea shop!" stated the scarred bender, smiling as he moved to sit by the table. "Things are looking up, Uncle."

Iroh smiled at his nephew, before pouring a bowl of jook for both him and Solus. The two then sat with the Prince and they ate in comfortable silence. The view from the window that the table was situated next to was grand, allowing those within the apartment to survey much of the Upper Ring, along with parts of both the Middle and Lower Rings. It was truly a beautiful sight, and one that all three of the Fire Nation men enjoyed.

It was before this window that they finished their breakfast, before eventually gathering what they needed for the opening of the new tea house and leaving the apartment under Kuzon's watchful eye. It was only a short walk to the building, and there was already a small group of people outside its doors. In front of said doors stood two of the employees that Iroh's wealthy benefactor had hired to help around the tea shop. They stood aside when the three firebenders entered.

A few hours later, after they had officially opened the new tea house, Solus, Zuko and Iroh stood at the back of their new establishment, watching as customers flowed steadily through the doors.

"Who thought when we came to this city as refugees that I'd end up owning my own tea shop?" pondered the oldest of the three aloud. "Follow your passions and life will reward you!"

"Congratulations Uncle!" grinned the scarred firebender, his tone far friendlier and happier than Solus had heard his friend in some time.

"I am very thankful." replied the General.

"You deserve it!" stated Zuko, smiling at his Uncle. "The Jasmine Dragon will be the best tea shop in the city!"

"No, I am thankful because you decided to share this special day with me. It means more than you know."

The two embraced briefly, with Solus still standing off to the side.

"I suppose we should start brewing then." decided the former dishwasher as he walked to the back of the tea house, where the kitchen was situated.

"Yeah, let's make these people some tea!" agreed the Prince, again in a manner cheery enough to give his friend reason for concern. _That sickness really did a number on him. _Thought Solus. _Perhaps he is not completely over it._

"Yes! Let's make some tea!" Iroh spoke excitedly, bringing the young bender out of his wary thoughts before following him to the back of the kitchen.

The rest of the day passed fairly quickly, with the two younger firebenders taking orders and cleaning dishes while the older tea maker worked his art, much to the satisfaction of each and every customer who entered the tea house. They served a wide variety of teas in the shop, from the more mainstream jasmine and green teas to the sweeter, more flavorful lychee teas. There was a steady stream of patrons throughout the day, all leaving contented and satisfied with their service.

* * *

That night, after the Jasmine Dragon had closed and all of the guests along with most of the employees had left, Solus was standing with Iroh and Zuko as they finished closing up the establishment. Both of the younger benders were sweeping, cleaning the floor that had been dirtied by dozens of shoes that day, each coming and going while all the time making the carpet of the shop slightly more dusty. The General was busy cleaning up the last of the tea pots, with each pot having seen heavy use throughout the duration of the day.

After a short while, an officious looking man wearing the uniform of a royal courier walked through the doors, before bowing to Iroh and handing him a scroll.

"A message from the Royal Palace." stated the man before bowing again and exiting.

"I… I can't believe it!" exclaimed the old man after skimming the contents of the scroll.

"What is it Uncle?" asked Zuko, as he moved to look at the scroll himself.

"Great news!" the master tea maker grinned, furling up the scroll and gesticulating happily as he spoke. "We've been invited to serve tea to the Earth King!"

"That seems a bit… sudden." frowned Solus as he watched Iroh run to the back of the tea house to prepare the necessary tea-making utensils. "We just opened today."

"I suppose it isn't too odd." shrugged the Prince. "Uncle's tea seems to have gained quite the following. Perhaps even the Earth King has heard of him."

"I still think it would best to be on our guard." replied the swordsman pessimistically. "It could be some sort of trap."

Zuko only shrugged, and the two firebenders turned their attention back to the task at hand as Iroh continued to gather pots and tea leaves for the next day.

* * *

The next day, the tea maker and his two assistants stepped out of an ostrich horse-drawn carriage that had stopped by at their tea shop and found themselves at the entrance to the Royal Palace. The Palace itself was impressive; massive reddish brown stone walls framed an entrance composed of three arching doorways covered in curved sloping tiles. Atop the walls sat more buildings, with gold colored tiered roofs that sloped in the manner popular in the Earth Kingdom. The symbol of Earth as an element stood ostentatiously above the entryway, it's yellow circle encompassed in a square of deep green.

"Many times I imagined myself here at the threshold of the palace." began Iroh as they started walking towards the entrance. "But I always thought I would be here as a conqueror. Instead, we are the Earth King's personal guests, here to serve him tea. Destiny is a funny thing."

"It sure is, Uncle." smiled Zuko, in a tone that implied great amounts of pride for the old man's achievement.

"I certainly wouldn't have suspected it." shrugged Solus.

He found himself in a particularly worried frame of mind, a feeling exacerbated by the absence of his trusty sword. That morning he had set the weapon aside, next to the window that Kuzon normally sat perched at, and made sure that if he needed it and was able to whistle loud enough for the hawk to hear that the faithful creature would be able to deliver the weapon. At least, that is what he hoped would happen. The young bender had taught the bird to respond to different whistles in different ways, but it was very likely that any signal would not reach its intended recipient, instead being muffled by walls or some other barrier.

When they reached the entrance to the Palace, the three incognito Fire Nation men were directed into a small building within the grounds by a servant and told that the Earth King would meet them there. They sat at the table in the center of the room in silence, waiting for their host.

"What's taking so long?" asked Zuko as his Uncle patiently prepared the cups of tea.

"Maybe the Earth King overslept?" suggested Iroh, shrugging as he spoke.

"I hope so." frowned Solus, unable to shake the worry gnawing at the back of his mind.

It was then that about fifteen Dai Li agents filed into the room, encircling the three seated firebenders.

"Something's not right." the Prince shot a worried look at his friend, who had become quite tense in case of a fight.

"It's tea time," said a voice, as its owner walked slowly into the room before standing in front of the tea maker and his assistants.

"Azula!" shouted Zuko, standing as he recognized his sister.

Solus only swore quietly, before standing in a position that would allow him the greatest possible amount of mobility should the men surrounding them attack.

"Have you met the Dai Li?" asked the Princess in an innocent tone, though with a far more threatening undertone. "They're earthbenders, but they have a killer instinct that is _so_ firebender. I just love it."

"Did I ever tell you how I got the nickname 'The Dragon of the West'?" asked Iroh as he stood to join his nephew.

"I'm not interested in a lengthy anecdote, Uncle." sighed Azula.

"It's more of a demonstration, really." smiled the General as he lifted a steaming hot cup of tea to his lips.

The old firebender then drank the tea, before spewing fire at the surrounding Dai Li agents, causing them to scatter. The raging inferno blasted through one of the thin stone walls, and the three firebenders bolted for the exit as two earthbenders gave pursuit hurling stones after them.

As they ran down the hallway, Iroh blasted a hole through another wall and, seeing that it was on the second floor looking out over a grassy courtyard, leapt from the opening. Solus, who had taken up the rear of the group, almost crashed into Zuko. His friend had stopped running and stood, looking down at his Uncle.

"Come on!" shouted the old man up at the two young firebenders. "You'll be fine!"

"No!" responded Zuko. "I'm tired of running. It's time I faced Azula."

Solus still said nothing, instead give the General a knowing nod before following his friend back the way they had come. The two benders raced through the stone lined hallways, feet thumping on the wooden floors, before finding their path blocked by Azula and the Dai Li.

"You're _so_ dramatic." the Princess spoke, staring directly at her brother and completely ignoring his friend. "What, are you going to challenge me to an Agni Kai?"

"Yes!" shouted the scarred Prince, staring right back at his sister. "I challenge you!"

"No thanks." replied the dark-haired woman innocently.

Zuko bellowed in rage, a massive fireball forming in front of him. Solus adopted an aggressive stance, his hands reaching up and deflecting the bolts of stone that one of the Dai Li had sent towards him. The same agent was soon joined by a comrade and together the two earthbenders whittled away at the bender's defenses. Out of the corner of his eye, the young firebender saw two more of the secret police capture his friend, binding the scarred Prince's hands and feet before dragging him off down the hallway. Turning his attention back to the two opponents before him, the skilled bender sent numerous bolts of flame at them, though they dodged every single strike he made. Ultimately, they ended the fight by sending a massive slab of stone at him, knocking the former dishwasher back several meters and out through the hole in the side of the building through which Iroh had exited.

As he soared through the air, Solus found was able to see his two opponents turn their back on the opening in the side of the palace, following their companions and commander back down the green-lined hallway. He began to near the ground and in a surprising stroke of lucidity given the situation, let loose torrents of flame from his outstretched hands.

Luckily, the rather flamboyant gesture did not seem to draw the attention of anyone besides Iroh, who moved urgently towards the younger firebender.

"They have Zuko." Solus stated simply, hanging his head dejectedly.

"I know." frowned the older man, before turning away and gesturing for his younger companion to follow. "I think I have an idea."

* * *

After moving as quickly as possible out of the Palace, the two Fire Nation men made their way down the sloped hill on which the Upper Ring was built, eventually stopping at the wooden door of one of many green-painted houses in the area. The Dragon of the West then paused for a moment, as if making sure they were at the correct house, and knocked on the massive oak entryway. There was silence for a moment before the door slid open and a rather diminutive girl stood staring at something neither firebender could see.

_She must be blind._ Realized Solus, before the young girl spoke.

"Glad to see you're okay!" she greeted Iroh, obviously having been previously acquainted with the old man.

Before the younger of the two benders could comment on the situation, he noticed the Avatar and one of the Southern Water Tribe members standing behind the girl, staring in shock at the two newcomers.

"I-" began Iroh, before glancing at Solus and correcting himself, "_We_ need your help."

"You guys know each other!?" shouted the Avatar, reeling backwards in shock.

"I know him." replied the Earth Kingdom girl, indicating the older of the two men. "I met him in the woods once and knocked him down. Then he gave me tea and some very good advice."

"May I come it?" asked the General politely, bowing to the young girl, who nodded in response.

"What about him?" asked the blue-clad warrior standing to the right of the doorway and indicating the younger of the two benders. "He is a friend of Zuko's!"

"I haven't exactly been hunting you down the past couple of times we have met." stated Solus dryly. "I don't see why I would start now. Besides, I do recall being of some assistance a number of weeks ago, following your run in with those two Fire Nation girls." he added, carefully omitting his familiarity with said girls.

"He isn't lying." shrugged the girl.

"If you say so…" frowned the warrior, obviously not convinced.

"Princess Azula is here in Ba Sing Se." stated Iroh after moving into the house.

"She must have Katara!" exclaimed the Avatar worriedly.

"She has captured my nephew as well." added the old man gravely.

"She also has the Dai Li working for her." grimaced the younger firebender, wincing as he pulled a splinter of stone from one of his fingers. "Quite a few of them."

"Then we'll work together to fight Azula and save Katara and Zuko." replied the bald Airbender, crossing his arms resolutely.

"Woah there!" interjected the Southern Water Tribe warrior, looking pointedly at the monk. "You lost me at Zuko."

"I know how you must feel about my nephew." sighed Iroh. "But believe me when I tell you there is good inside him."

"Good inside him isn't enough!" retorted the club-wielding boy. "Why don't you come back when it's outside him too, okay?"

"Katara is in trouble." frowned the Avatar, now talking to his friend. "All of Ba Sing Se is in trouble. Working together is our best chance."

"I brought someone along who might be able to help us." smiled the General, eliciting a look of confusion from his formerly dishwashing companion.

"Wait, what?" exclaimed Solus, even as he followed the group outside. "When? Who?"

"I was busy while you and Zuko were fighting those earthbenders." shrugged the old man. "I was able to capture him."

He indicated a bound and gagged Dai Li agent, who was bound and gagged on the veranda in front of the Avatar's home. The man struggled upon seeing the group, before being pulled to his feet by two rapidly growing outcroppings of rock, summoned by the young Earth Kingdom girl.

"Azula and Long Feng are plotting a coup!" gasped the man as soon as Iroh pulled the gag away from his mouth. "They're going to overthrow the Earth King!"

"My sister!" shouted the warrior, brandishing a blade.

_Sokka._ Remembered Solus, who had been attempting to recall the bladesman's name.

"Where are they keeping Katara!?"

"In the crystal catacombs of old Ba Sing Se!" replied the man hurriedly. "Deep beneath the Palace!"

The group said nothing, only sprinting off in the direction that the man had indicated. They ran only for a short time, as the house was close to the Palace, before stopping just within it's great brown walls.

"Well what do you know, there is an ancient city down there." decided the diminutive earthbender. "But it's deep."

"How do know that there is one?" asked Solus, frowning at the bender's certainty.

"I can feel it." she replied. "With my feet."

She spread her arms, causing a massive hole to open up in the ground below them. The yawning tunnel went quite deep, yet still did not appear to reach its destination.

"We should split up." decided Sokka. "Aang you go with Iroh to look for Katara and the angry jerk- no offense"

"None taken." shrugged Iroh peacefully.

"And I'll go with Toph to warn the Earth King about Azula's coup. That only leaves..." the machete-wielding young man paused, looking at Solus.

"Solus. My name is Solus." stated the younger of the two benders. "I will go with you and Toph."

"Hmmm." said Sokka, mulling it over. "I guess that works."

"Good luck!" called the Avatar, already descending into the tunnel with Iroh at his side.

The trio then began to head towards the center of the Palace, pausing only to allow Solus to summon Kuzon and retrieve his sword. He then dismissed the hawk, who flew towards the roof of the Palace, and caught up with his uneasy allies.

When they reached the top of the Palace stairs, Sokka paused, pointing out the important looking man who was striding purposefully towards them.

"There's General How!" the warrior stated, before freezing and pulling Toph behind one of the massive columns.

Solus followed, crouching behind the pillar and watching as black clad Dai Li agents dropped from the supports, with metal handcuffs shooting from their wrists as they restrained the military leader.

"What's going on here!" shouted the man angrily as he struggled against the chains.

"You're under house arrest." stated the lead Dai Li agent, before motioning for his assistants to aid in dragging away the General.

"The coup is happening right now! We've got to warn the Earth King!" declared the Southern Water Tribe boy.

"If the Dai Li have already made such a bold move as attacking a General, we may already be too late." warned Solus as they ran towards the throne room. "This could very well be a trap."

Sokka and Toph only nodded, the only audible confirmation that someone had heard the statement was a small chirp from the flying lemur that accompanied the group, obviously some sort of pet.

"Thank goodness we're in time!" shouted the young warrior as they finally reached the throne room, finding the Earth King sitting in his chair and the green-clad women that Solus had seen a day earlier guarding her.

"In time for what?" asked the King, obviously curious as to the cause of the disturbance.

"Yeah, what are you in time for?" asked one of women as Solus did a double take. He now realized that the warrior women were not from the Earth Kingdom, as he had previously assumed, but were in reality Ty Lee and presumably Mai in disguise.

"You look familiar. Do I know you from somewhere?" asked the acrobat, quite obviously toying with the young firebender.

"Nice disguise, Ty Lee." the swordsman stated amusedly, watching her reaction. "But I don't think that you would have fooled them." he indicated his two newfound allies, who were staring at the two in confusion.

Before she could reply, the nimble acrobat was sent hurling through the air by Toph, who had caused a column of stone to shoot up below the disguised Fire Nation woman. She landed atop an ornate statue that stood behind the throne.

"They're not the real Kyoshi warriors!" shouted the earthbender.

"Sorry to disappoint you." said the second woman as she hurled a series of knives at the young earthbender. As the two began to fight, Ty Lee leapt gracefully down her perch and landed in front of Solus before immediately striking at the firebender, attempting to block his chi.

"Nice try." he grinned, dodging the strike and dancing backwards. "You will have to try harder than that."

"Of course." the acrobat smiled at him, sending another series of punches towards the swordsman. "Did you get my note?"

"Naturally." Solus grinned again at the mention of the note, before dodging the next set of blows. "Though I think now may not be the best time to talk about that."

"I see you are helping the Avatar now." Ty Lee stated, throwing a precise punch towards the firebender's shoulder that was only narrowly avoided. "How did that happen?"

"You can thank Azula for that one." he grimaced, noticing the narrow (though potentially intentional) miss. "She attacked us. Captured Zuko."

"This fight is _over_." called a voice from across the room, and the firebender looked up to see the Princess standing next to the Earth King, holding a jet of blue flame near the man's head.

"_Sorry_" whispered Ty Lee as she delivered one last blow to Solus, incapacitating the swordsman.

He only nodded, accepting his fate before collapsing, the bender's own limbs betraying him and crumbling beneath his body. The Fire Nation man watched as the acrobat did the same to both Toph and Sokka, before walking back and sitting next to him, giving the firebender an apologetic look.

"Get them all out of my sight." ordered Azula, and the two disguised Fire Nation women complied, dragging all three of their former combatants and the King away.

They were thrown into a metal cell, all four of them and Ty Lee left Solus with a discreet wink. The tall, apparently unyielding door shut with a loud clang, causing the King slumped to the floor in despair. Sokka, seemingly optimistic despite their shared situation, crept slowly up to the grating in the center of the door and peeked cautiously between the bars.

"See any Dai Li agents nearby?" asked Toph.

"Nope." the warrior answered, looking around nervously. "All clear."

The young earthbender only nodded, cracking her knuckles and moving towards the large cell door. Placing her hands on the metal, the blind Earth Kingdom girl smiled, before pushing outward and crumpling the thick steel door like paper.

"Let's go!" whispered Sokka after she tossed the door out into the hallway.

"You can metalbend?" asked Solus, marveling at the feat. "I didn't think that was possible."

"I'm not leaving without Bosco!" shouted the Earth King worriedly, completely ignoring the question.

"Then I think then that it would be best if we were to split up." stated the firebender, frowning as they ran through the hallways. "You three can go get the King's bear, and I can go look for Zuko."

"Good luck with that." replied Sokka a bit too quickly, as though he were eager to get rid of the Fire Nation bender.

Solus nodded, before turning away from the group and sprinting away. He heard distant explosions and the ground rocked slightly, causing the swordsman to shift slightly before running in the direction of the tunnel that Toph had made earlier that day.

* * *

Almost a quarter of an hour and lots of running later, Solus had finally found his way down into the cavern from which the explosions were issuing. He could hear shouting, the roaring of flames and splashing of waves, and other obvious signs of battle. When the firebender finally made it to the massive cavern, aglow with a greenish light that issued from massive crystal formations, he saw something he did not expect.

There was indeed some sort of skirmish occurring, and the former dishwasher could see Azula and Katara struggling against each other, fire against fighting water. At the same time, he noticed that, despite previous alliances between the Avatar and General Iroh, Zuko was now also attacking Katara, with a rage that Solus had seldom seen in his friend.

It was then that the Avatar rose from a mound of crystal, his eyes and tattoos glowing as the young monk ascended. For a moment it seemed as though the Air Nomad would be able to overpower the Princess and her brother, using the memories and skills of those who came before him.

But it seemed that this was not to be the case, as Azula sent a bolt of lightning crashing through the young bald child's chest. It struck him in the center of his still-glowing chest, and the Avatar fell. He tumbled, smoking as he went, towards the hard stone ground only to be caught by Katara. She paused for a moment, staring down at the seemingly lifeless boy that now lay in her arms and Solus finally spoke, roused from his frozen stupor.

"This way!" the firebender shouted towards the girl, just as a massive orange fireball roared down from a ledge on the opposite side of the cavern.

"You've got to get out of here!" shouted Iroh, leaping down from the ledge. "I'll hold them off as long as I can!"

The waterbender was stirred from her brief vigil, nodding at the old man, and rushed towards the other bender that was standing in front of cave's main exit.

"I will stay behind and help Iroh." declared Solus as Katara rushed past.

She only offered him a brief nod in response, tears streaming down the Southern Water Tribe girl's face. The firebender turned back towards the massive cavern, understanding what was required of him.

He had been conflicted for months now, the young bender's moral obligation and loyalty to both his friends and his country clashing endlessly, but that had all lead up to this. Solus no longer felt the disccord within himself and was more calm than he had been in years. The firebender moved his arms experimentally, finding that he was still quite capable of firebending, and moved forward to face his friend.

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_**After Note: Cliffhanger alert! I apologize for that, but this chapter was taking extremely long to write (and ending up extremely long. Nine pages is quite a bit in my opinion) and I wanted to avoid having gaps between chapters that were too large. The last chapter of book two will come soon after, so there is that to look forward to. At any rate, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and as always if you did, that you favorite, subscribe, or write a review. Thanks for reading!**_


	24. Chapter 23

_**Author's Note: This chapter likely won't be very long. The last one went on for quite a bit, and even then it ended on a cliffhanger, so this chapter will likely tie up a few loose ends and end book 2. I hope you like it!**_

* * *

Solus looked towards the crowded group of people standing before him. Few were looking in his direction, the majority were instead focused on Iroh. The old man had assumed an offensive stance and looked to be waiting for someone else to make a move, be it his Niece, his Nephew, or any of the massed Dai Li that were now waiting for further orders. Only a few of the elite earthbenders noticed the second firebender standing near the cave exit, and for this he was grateful.

Taking a deep breath, Solus stepped forward. He found himself strangely calm despite the situation, finally having realized what he must do. The young bender found himself remembering Iroh's words from months ago, when they were staying in the broken down house that sat on the edge of the desert.

"When you are no longer plagued by doubt and guilt, then the time will be right." the old man had stated. "That is the time you will finally be able to lightning-bend, and the time when you must journey to the land of the Sun Warriors. You must follow the Way of the Dragon."

He had been reminded of his vision of a dragon in the flames of a campfire then, and was reminded of the vision again. The image of the proud creature rearing up and spreading its wings was imprinted in his mind, and the swordsman nodded to himself.

_The Way of the Dragon, huh?_ he mused, still walking slowly up to the elevated ground upon which Iroh stood. _Well, one thing at a time. First I must survive the coming altercation._

Solus finally reached the top of the small mound upon which his teacher stood and exhaled deeply, earning himself a bewildered look from the older man.

"Solus?" Iroh frowned, though his hands did not shift from their offensive position in front of him. "You should have gone with the Avatar."

"No." replied the firebender firmly, raising his own hands to face the crowd before them. "I know now what I must do, even if it might end badly. My conscience is clear."

The General nodded sadly, understanding that nothing he could say would change the younger bender's mind.

"Would you look at that." called an idle voice from the front of the crowd. "The traitors stand together."

"So it seems, Azula." responded Solus evenly.

"You will learn to regret that decision." she sneered, before signaling the Dai Li to attack.

The group of earthbenders stepped forward as one, each launching forth their own individual chunks of the rocky ground. The brown missiles streaked towards the two waiting firebenders, hurtling silently through the air.

Solus took a deep breath, clenching and unclenching his fists as he moved his arms in a circular motion, in an attempt to separate his internal energies. The attempt was proven successful when when sparks began to trail from his slowly rotating fingers, signifying a successful separation of yin and yang. The glowing plasma was beautiful in a deadly way, like a particularly poisonous yet brightly colored flower. Finally, after what felt like dozens of minutes worth of movement, though it must have only been seconds, the young bender joined both of his hands. The motion rejoined the two charges, sending forth a massive streak of lightning that blazed across the enclosed atmosphere of the cave.

The bright streak flashed through the darkened air, obliterating the few rocks that made it through Iroh's own jets of flame. The old man gave the younger bender a mildly bemused expression, before nodding and jumping aside as yet another boulder streaked by.

"So, you learned a new _trick_, did you?" snarled Azula, moving her hands to generate a lightning bolt of her own.

"More than just one." countered Solus as he caught the caught the surge of energy, directing it through his stomach and out the other arm.

As the bolt leapt from his arm, it arced rapidly towards the water left by Katara that had pooled near the feet of some of the Dai Li. Immediately after the searing hot fulmination touched the shallow liquid, the electricity spread throughout the pool and knocked the vast majority of the earthbenders unconscious, flinging the remainder back several meters.

_It seems that when I redirect it, it loses some of its potency._ Decided Solus as the remaining earthbenders regrouped before resuming their assault. _A normal strike would have taken all of them out, if not killing a couple._

As such the skirmish continued, the two renegade firebenders began to lose ground. The exertion of firebending while sporadically generating lightning and dodging the boulders hurled by a myriad of earthbenders was beginning to take its toll on the younger of the two benders. While he was still completely capable of fighting, the former dishwasher began to wonder how much longer he could continue fighting without collapsing from physical exertion.

_It seems that Zuko isn't fighting as effectively as he might. _Frowned Solus, taking note of the way the Prince managed to firebend without effectively being any danger to either of his opponents. _Perhaps he is not as staunch a supporter of Azula as she thinks._

Despite the scarred firebender's apparent unwillingness to fight, the onslaught of earth and flame continued, the Princess leading reinforcing groups of Dai Li in an attempt to drive a wedge between the two traitors to the Fire Nation. Slowly, despite numerous setbacks, the strategy succeeded as the earthbenders drove massive pillars of stone between the two cornered men, separating them and allowing the small mob of Earth Kingdom agents to assault them individually.

After what seemed to Solus like hours of fighting, he finally made a mistake. A misplaced foot caught on a stone sent jutting up from the ground by one of the Dai Li and the young bender stumbled, allowing the earthbenders to step corner him and trap the swordsman in an prison of rock.

"Would you look at that." sneered Azula, stepping through the crowd with Zuko following at her heels. "The second traitor falls."

She paused for a moment and paced slowly in front of him, apparently deciding the young bender's fate. After some time, she stopped, apparently having made her decision.

"Kill him. Or imprison him. I don't really care?" the Princess shrugged, before turning away and heading back the way she had come.

"Take him captive." interjected Zuko, frowning. "We'll take the traitors back to the Fire Nation."

* * *

Days later, Solus found himself in a small prison ship that was steaming slowly across the sea towards the Fire Nation. He had seen little of the crew beyond the guard who brought him his meals, only noticing a small number of sailors when he was brought aboard the noticeably small ship. Most prison vessels in the Fire Nation were massive, ferrying thousands of the Fire Lord's enemies from location to location, occasionally stopping at the prison rigs scattered around the ocean.

The young firebender spent the vast majority of his time meditating, eating, and examining every centimeter of his cell in search of some sort of weakness to exploit. He had been cuffed earlier in his incarceration in order to prevent him from escaping via bending, and as a result causing quite a bit of difficulty during mealtimes. It had been days since he had seen the sun, and as such, Solus was beginning to feel weak, causing him to pine for the source of his bending.

Now he was meditating again, thinking over his next course of action. It was likely that the ship was heading for one of many prisons scattered across the Fire Nation that were reserved for prisoners of war and traitors, and the imprisoned bender was already thinking of the various ways he could escape.

_Could try to get away from the guards when they try to transfer me._ He mused silently. _Though they would probably be ready for that. Perhaps when I actually arrive at wherever they're taking me._

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of voices accompanying the noise of the bolts in the massive cell door sliding open. As the door slowly opened, Solus relaxed his muscles and leaned back in order to give the impression that he was asleep to whoever might enter the room.

"On your feet, prisoner!" ordered the guard gruffly, jabbing at the prone captive with the butt of his spear. "You've got a visitor."

Grumbling and blinking groggily, the young firebender stood slowly and yawned, following the masked and helmeted man through the doorway, out into the narrow hallways that ran throughout the ship and down a stairway, before finally stopping and ushering the prisoner into a new room. The room was fairly featureless, with the exception of a single table and two chairs in the center, illuminated by a number of lanterns hanging from the ceiling. In one of the chairs sat Ty Lee, looking over at Solus and giving him a discreet wink, motioning for the imprisoned swordsman to take a seat.

"You can leave now." the acrobat said to the guard, giving him a dismissive gesture. "The princess has ordered me to interrogate the prisoner, and I have no need of any guards right now. I will call if I need assistance."

The man bowed respectfully and exited, closing the door behind him.

"Why are you here, Ty Lee?" frowned the firebender, his hands still bound before him. "You shouldn't be seen with a traitor to the Fire Nation, it's too dangerous."

"Are you saying you aren't glad to see me?" asked the acrobat inquisitively, raising an eyebrow as she spoke. "I can always leave…"

"T-that's not what I meant." Solus back pedaled furiously, raising his hands defensively. "I am glad that you are here it's just that-"

"I know what you meant, silly." grinned Ty Lee, sitting back in her chair. "I was just teasing you."

"But what _are _you doing here?" asked the prisoner. "Somehow I doubt it was to 'interrogate' me."

"No, I'll admit that I was a bit… false, in that regard." she smiled. "I am here to break you out, of course!"

"And how do you plan on going about that?" frowned Solus, crossing his arms. "Somehow I doubt that Azula is just going to let you free prisoners on a whim."

"Now you just leave that to me. I know what I'm doing." Ty Lee stood and smiled sadly, tossing a small object at the seated firebender. "In the mean time, you just wait for dinner time. I will find you then."

The imprisoned bender caught the thrown object, and, finding it to be a key for his bindings, slipped it into one of his pockets. As his apparent rescuer exited the room, he could hear her ordering to the guard outside.

"The interrogation is finished. Bring the prisoner back to his cell."

Solus attempted to make himself look as haggard as possible, and stumbled out of the room clumsily as he followed the guard back to his cell. Upon reaching the small chamber, the firebender reached into his pocket, removing the key. He stared at it for a moment, pondering the day's events and pondering as to what Ty Lee's chosen method of escape would be.

* * *

_** After Note: I seem to be having extreme difficulty writing the end of book 2. I find that I am having more and more difficulty thinking of what to write and how to write it as time goes on. As a result of this, though I do quite enjoy writing this fan fiction, I think I am going to take a bit of a break. It seems that weeks of constant chapter posting has left me a bit "burned out" in terms of writing A:TLA content, so I think I will either just take a break from writing altogether or try writing something else for a time. I have a couple ideas for some Mass Effect fan fiction, and I may try my hand at that, though if I do post anything new it probably won't be for at least a week and a half, probably more. So, thank you for reading and I apologize for the inevitable gap in posting there will be in the next months, and as always: leave a review, subscribe, or favorite if you like the story.**_


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